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HANDBOOK 

OF  THE 

MUSEUM  OF  FINE  ARTS 
BOSTON 

DESCRIBING  AND  ILLUSTRATING 
A  SELECTION  OF  REPRESENTATIVE 
OBJECTS  IN  ALL  THE  COLLECTIONS 
WITH  HISTORICAL  INTRODUCTIONS 


THE  FENWAY 


HUNTINGTON  AVENUE 


THE  MUSEUM  IS  MAINTAINED 
AND  DEVELOPED  WHOLLY  BY 
GIFTS  OF  PRIVATE  CITIZENS 
ADMISSION  IS  FREE  TO  ALL 


Fifteenth  Edition 
OCTOBER,  1922 


MAIN  FLOOR  PLAN 


MAIN  FLOOR 


From  the  Huntington  Avenue  entrance  the  stairway  leads 
to  the  chief  galleries  of  all  the  departments  except  that  of 
Prints.  The  galleries  of  Prints  occupy  the  eastern  half  of  the 
ground  floor  of  the  Evans  Building,  entered  also  from  the 
Fenway. 

On  the  main  floor  the  galleries  of  Chinese  and  Japanese  Art 
and  of  Western  Art  are  reached  directly  from  the  Rotunda  on 
either  hand.  The  galleries  of  Paintings  are  reached  through 
the  Tapestry  Gallery,  opening  opposite  the  stairs.  The  galleries 
of  Egyptian  Art  and  Classical  Art  open  from  the  end  of  the 
right-hand  (Coptic)  corridor.  In  all  these  departments  the 
exhibits  are  arranged  chronologically  as  far  as  practicable. 

The  Library  is  over  the  main  entrance.  In  recognition  of 
the  gift  of  its  fittings  in  memory  of  the  late  William  Morris 
Hunt,  it  has  received  the  name  of  the  William  Morris  Hunt 
Memorial  Library.  The  books  are  not  from  Mr.  Hunt's  library, 
but  are  the  collection  gathered  by  the  Museum  during  the 
past  forty  years.  The  pictures  and  tapestries  on  the  walls  are 
also  from  the  Museum  collections.  The  Library  stack  is  not 
open  to  visitors. 

The  William  Morris  Hunt  Memorial  Gallery,  containing 
paintings  and  drawings  by  Mr.  Hunt,  is  over  the  Library,  and 
is  reached  by  the  elevator  at  the  right  of  the  entrance  hali. 


The  use  of  fountain  pens  is  not  permitted  in  the  galleries. 


The  Museum  is  open  free  to  all  every  day  in  the  year,  ext 
cepting  the  Fourth  of  July,  Thanksgiving  Day,  and  Chrisfcrr_as.| 
Hours  on  weekdays,  10  A.  M.  to  5  P.  M.  (closing  during  November 
at  4.30;  during  December  and  January  at  4;  during  February  at 
4.30) ;  Sundays  1  to  5  P.  M.  Children  under  ten  years  of  age  .a/e 
not  admitted  unless  accompanied  by  an  adult. 

The  doorkeeper  will  check  canes  and  umbrellas,  also  when 
possible  cloaks  and  packages,  without  charge. 

At  the  Sales  Office,  to  the  right  after  passing  the  turnstile, 
the  publications  of  the  Museum  and  photographs  of  objects 
may  be  purchased.  A  Visitors’  Book  for  the  entering  of  names 
will  be  found  on  the  desk.  Comments  and  suggestions  will 
be  gladly  received  from  visitors.  The  use  of  a  wheel  chair 
in  the  galleries  may  be  obtained  without  charge  on  application 
here;  with  an  attendant  the  charge  is  fd.00  per  hour.  Apply 
here  also  to  see  any  officer  of  the  Museum.  A  public  telephone 
will  be  found  here,  and  the  City  Directory  and  Railway  Guide 
may  be  consulted. 

The  Restaurant  in  the  basement  of  the  Japanese  wing, 
reached  by  the  corridor  to  the  left  from  the  main  entrance, 
is  open  to  visitors  from  noon  until  4  P.  M.  (a  hot  lunch  from 
noon  to  2  P.  M.)  daily,  excepting  Sundays  and  holidays. 

At  the  branch  telephone  exchange  at  the  end  of  the  corridor 
to  the  left  from  the  entrance  hall,  stamps  may  be  obtained  and 
letters  posted. 

The  public  lavatories  are  reached  from  the  transverse  corridor 
back  of  the  main  stairs  (women  to  the  right,  men  to  the  left). 

All  articles  are  received  at  the  business  entrance,  reached 
from  Huntington  Avenue  by  the  pathway  west  of  the  Museum 
building  or  by  the  driveway  beyond  the  School  building. 


DOCENT  SERVICE 

Upon  request  representatives  of  the  Museum  will  accompany 
visitors  in  the  galleries  for  the  explanation  of  exhibits. 


COPYING  AND  PHOTOGRAPHING 

Application  to  copy  or  photograph  any  object  in  the  Museum 
should  be  made  at  the  Director’s  office.  Easels  and  space  to 
keep  materials  are  provided  for  students. 


HANDBOOK 

OF  THE 

MUSEUM  OF  FINE  ARTS 
BOSTON 

DESCRIBING  AND  ILLUSTRATING 
A  SELECTION  OF  REPRESENTATIVE 
OBJECTS  IN  ALL  THE  COLLECTIONS 
WITH  HISTORICAL  INTRODUCTIONS 


THE  FENWAY 


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HUNTINGTON  AVENUE 

THE  MUSEUM  IS  MAINTAINED 
AND  DEVELOPED  WHOLLY  BY 
GIFTS  OF  PRIVATE  CITIZENS 
ADMISSION  IS  FREE  TO  ALL 


Fifteenth  Edition 

OCTOBER,  1922 


The  present  Handbook  (Price  75  cents) 
describes  and  illustrates  the  collections  with¬ 
out  regard  to  changes  of  exhibition.  The 
t  inding  Lists  prefacing  some  of  the  sections 
give  the  gallery  or  room  where  the  object 
illustrated  on  each  page  can  be  found. 

The  illustrated  Leaflet  Guide  (5  cents  at 
the  entrance)  gives  brief  descriptions  of  the 
contents  of  all  the  galleries.  The  manifolded 
Inserts  sold  with  the  Guide  describe  changes 
of  exhibition  since  the  Guide  was  printed. 


CONTENTS 

Egyptian  Art  Page 

Finding  List  .  1 

Introduction .  3 

Galleries . .  .  Off. 

Classical  Art 

Finding  List  . 59 

Introduction  . . 61 

Galleries . 66  ff. 

Pictures 

Finding  List  . . 133 

On  Western  Art  to  the  end  of  the  Renaissance,  135 

Galleries . 142  ft. 

On  Dutch  Painting  . .  164 

On  French  Painting  in  the  Nineteenth 

Century . .  177 

On  Early  American  Painting . 193 

Western  Art 

Finding  List . 209 

Muhammadan 

Introduction:  the  Nearer  Orient  ....  211 

Galleries  . . .  214ff. 

On  Persian  Painting . 223 

On  Weaving . 230 

European  Art 

Galleries .  237  ff. 

On  Lace . .  253 

On  Amber . .  265 

Indian  Art 

Introduction . 273 

Corridor . 281 


CONTENTS 


vi 


Chinese  and  Japanese  Art  Page 

Introduction . 297 

Sculpture . 307 

Paintings . 322 

Prints . 349 

Minor  Arts:  Introduction . 354 

Chinese  Bronze . 350 

Sword  Furniture . . 301 

Lacquer . 303 

Chinese  Pottery . 305 

Chinese  Porcelain . 309 

Chinese  Tapestry . 372 

Morse  Collection  of  Japanese  Pottery  .  .  .  373 

Collection  of  Prints . 379 

Collection  of  Casts 

Greek  and  Roman  Sculpture . 405 

Italian  Renaissance  Sculpture . 408 

Synoptical  Table  of  the  History'  of  Art  ....  411 


The  Museum  and  Its  History- 


415 


EGYPTIAN  ART 

FINDING  LIST 


Page 
9,  10 
11-15 
16 

17-23 

24 

25-36 

37 

38 

39,  40 
41,  42 
44-48 
49,  50 
51 

52-55 

56 


Gallery 
Primitive 
Old  Empire 
Primitive 
Mastaba 
Egyptian  Reserve  (Ground  Floor) 
Mastaba 
New  Empire 
Way  Room 
New  Empire 
Mastaba 
New  Empire 
Vestibule 
New  Empire 
Ptolemaic 
Coptic  Corridor 


Main  Floor 


EGYPTIAN  ART 


THE  collections  of  the  Egyptian  Department  offer 
to  the  visitor  ample  opportunities  for  the  study 
and  enjoyment  of  Egyptian  Art.  The  nucleus 
of  the  collection  is  the  portion  known,  from  its  donor, 
as  the  C.  Granville  Way  Collection,  which  was  pre¬ 
sented  to  the  Museum  in  1872.  Liberal  gifts  from 
private  individuals,  the  returns  from  contributions  to 
the  Egypt  Exploration  Fund  and  the  Egyptian  Re¬ 
search  Account,  and  the  finds”  of  the  several  suc¬ 
cessful  expeditions  which  the  Museum  has  sent  into  the 
field,  have  since  then  greatly  increased  the  collection. 

Egyptian  art  is,  through  its  long  course  of  nearly 
five  thousand  years,  the  continuous  expression  of  the 
creative  spirit  of  a  single  race.  This  race,  homogene¬ 
ous  and  strongly  individual,  both  in  its  physical  char¬ 
acteristics  and  its  culture,  gained  during  the  first  of 
those  five  millenniums  a  perfect  mastery  over  the  hard 
materials  of  the  earth,  and  worked  out  thereafter  one 
of  the  two  great  civilizations  of  the  ancient  world. 
Egypt  in  the  south  and  Babylonia  in  the  east,  power¬ 
ful  in  their  influence  on  the  classical  world,  represent 
the  sources  of  our  modern  culture. 

Handicraft  is  but  one  phase  of  culture.  Its  products, 
the  only  tangible  remains  of  the  early  life  of  the 
Egyptians,  embody  for  us  the  characteristics  of  the  race 
and  the  culture.  It  is  from  these  products  of  the 
handicrafts  that  we  must  build  up  not  merely  our 
knowledge  of  the  technical  methods  of  the  Egyptians, 
but  also  the  interpretation  of  their  intentions  and  of 
their  appreciation  of  those  objects  which  appeal  to  our 


4 


EGYPTIAN  ART 


taste  as  masterpieces  of  art;  for  it  is  to  be  distinctly 
borne  in  mind  that  the  study  of  Egyptian  art  must  be 
approached  from  a  strictly  historical  standpoint  unham¬ 
pered  by  modern  ideals.  So  only  can  it  be  fully  under¬ 
stood  and  appreciated. 

The  land  of  Egypt  is  a  long,  narrow  valley  of  extra¬ 
ordinary  fertility,  lying  between  two  rocky  deserts. 
The  valley  owes  its  life  to  the  Nile  annually  bringing 
down  from  Central  Africa  and  the  Abyssinian  hills  a 
rich  silt,  and  saturating  the  soil  with  moisture.  The 
climate  is  that  of  the  dry  desert.  But  neither  climate 
nor  landscape  is  so  monotonous  as  seems  at  first  sight. 
The  desert  is  not  a  waste  of  sand,  but  a  high  plateau 
of  rock  broken  by  hills  and  ravines,  and  crossed  by  the 
fiercest  of  wind  storms.  The  seasonal  changes  are 
marked.  The  effect  of  climate  and  landscape  on  the 
character  of  a  race  is  an  intangible  thing,  difficult  to 
estimate  and  easy  to  exaggerate.  But  the  effect  of  the 
conditions  of  life  forced  on  the  inhabitants  by  the 
physical  character  of  a  country  is  a  thing  which  may 
be  calculated  with  a  certain  amount  of  precision.  In 
Egypt  agriculture,  cattle  raising,  and  shipping  are  all 
predetermined  as  the  earliest  elements  of  life.  So  also 
the  architecture  was  dependent  on  the  simple  necessi¬ 
ties  of  the  climate  and  the  available  materials  —  reeds, 
wood,  mud-brick,  and  stone.  The  other  natural  re¬ 
sources,  hard  stones,  metals,  and  other  minerals,  are 
bound  in  turn  to  stimulate  the  growth  of  technical 
skill  and  to  influence  the  conditions  under  which  the 
culture  develops.  The  river  furnishes  the  constant 
easy  means  of  communication  which  always  permitted 
the  distribution  of  products  and  of  knowledge,  and 
maintained  the  homogeneity  of  race  and  culture  during 
all  periods.  The  deserts  on  each  side  prevented  the 
rise  of  any  power  near  enough  to  threaten  the  national 
character  until  it  had  reached  its  highest  forms. 

In  this  isolated,  unchanging,  and  life-sustaining 


INTRODUCTION 


5 


environment,  we  find  at  the  earliest  dawn  of  Egyptian 
history  a  race  of  almost  neolithic  savages 
living  in  a  tribal  state  by  means  of  agricul-  4500  jg.  c. 
ture,  hunting,  herding,  and  simple  handi¬ 
crafts,  The  weapons  and  implements  are  of  flint  and 
stone.  Woodcarving,  basket-making,  tanning,  and 
pot-making  are  fully  developed.  The  products  of  all 
the  handicrafts  show  the  same  characteristics  which 
mark  Egyptian  art  as  a  whole — -patience  and  courage 
in  treating  the  hardest  materials,  simplicity  and  sense 
in  the  selection  of  practical  forms,  a  facility  in  catching 
the  characteristic  lines  of  animals,  and  a  love  of  finish. 
More  than  all  this,  the  products  of  these  primitive  arts 
show  a  devotion  to  utility  which  was  never  lost.  In 
this  early  period  we  see  the  beginning  of  Egyptian  art 
and  Egyptian  technique.  The  methods  of  working  the 
stone  maceheads,  vessels,  and  slate  paint-palettes  in 
animal  forms  are  essentially  the  same  as  those  employed 
in  the  reliefs,  statuary,  and  stone  vessels  of  later  ages. 
The  beginning  of  drawing,  painting,  and  ornamenta¬ 
tion  are  found  in  the  line  drawings  on  the  pottery,  the 
white  line  decorated  pottery,  and  in  the  basket-work 
patterns. 

The  first  advance  was  brought  by  the  4000  B  c 
invention  of  copper  working,  probably  the 
greatest  of  all  discoveries  in  its  effect. 

Within  a  few  hundred  years  at  most,  after  the  in¬ 
troduction  of  copper  weapons,  the  Egyptian  tribes 
were  forced  into  a  political  union  under  an  absolute 
monarch.  The  use  of  copper  implements,  the  dis¬ 
covery  of  beds  of  minerals,  the  invention  of  the  stone- 
borer  and  the  bow-drill,  the  development  of  a  canal 
system,  the  invention  of  writing  for  administrative 
purposes  —  all  contributed  to  a  great  na-  3000  B  c 
tional  prosperity,  whose  resources  were  at  ^ 
the  disposal  of  a  single  royal  family.  In  24°° 
the  service  of  the  needs  and  of  the  ostentation  of  this 


to 

3000  B.  C. 


6 


EGYPTIAN  ART 


family,  the  old  mud-brick  architecture  was  transposed 
into  stone  architecture,  while  painting,  sculpture,  and 
all  the  handicrafts  were  developed  to  their  highest 
point.  Thus  during  Dynasties  IV  and  V  Egyptian 
culture  in  all  its  phases,  including  art,  reached  its 
culmination.  So  for  as  technical  methods  are  con¬ 
cerned,  the  Egyptians  learned  little  after  this  period 
except  glass-making.  The  canon  of  proportions,  the 
rule  of  frontality,  all  the  usual  compositions  were  fixed. 
The  different  orders  of  columns,  the  square  pillar,  the 
palm,  the  nymphaea  caerulea,  the  nymphaea  lotus  were 
all  in  use,  as  well  as  the  true  vault,  the  barrel  vault, 
and  the  corbel  vault. 

1600  b  c.  After  this  culminating  period  the  products 

1200  b  c  Egyptian  art  vary  in  number  and  beauty 

with  the  varying  economical  and  political 
conditions  of  the  country.  But  the  technique  remains 
the  same,  and  the  old  excellence  is  seldom  equalled 
and  never  exceeded.  The  great  changes  came  in  the 
New  Empire,  when  contact  with  Asia,  the  Mediterra¬ 
nean  Isles,  and  the  east  coast  of  Africa  brought  in  new 
subject-matter—  thfe  horse,  battle  scenes,  new  animals, 
new  plants,  strange  men.  The  greatest  change  of  all 
came  in  the  time  of  Akhenaton  (Amenophis  IV),  as  a 
reflection  of  the  religious  reform  made  by  that  monarch. 
But  here  again  the  change  was  due  to  subject-matter 
rather  than  to  any  modification  in  the  character  of 
Egyptian  art.  The  art  was  always  practical  and  real¬ 
istic.  The  physical  type  of  the  god-king  had  always 
been  the  ideal  type.  The  use  of  the  degenerate  form 
of  Akhenaton  as  the  ideal  type  startles  us,  but  is  only 
in  conformity  with  olden  practice.  So  also  the  relaxa¬ 
tion  of  court  forms  and  dignity  under  this  strange  man 
;s  faithfully  represented  in  the  reliefs  quite  in  con¬ 
formity  with  the  rules  of  the  old  art.  Thus  it  is  that 
the  return  of  the  old  established  social  and  religious 
order  under  Dynasty  XIX  brings  back  the  old  forms 


INTRODUCTION 


7 


ol  the  art.  In  fact,  the  whole  work  of  Akhenaton 
appears  more  a  question  of  political  economics  than 
of  religion  or  of  art.  That  king,  far  from  being  a 
religious  dreamer,  was  a  politician  who  felt  the  closing 
grasp  of  the  Amon  priesthood  on  the  monarchy,  and 
attempted  to  break  the  financial  power  of  that  priest¬ 
hood.  He  failed,  and  the  succeeding  dynasty  saw 
the  domination  of  the  priestly  power  over  I200  B  c 
the  monarchy.  The  foreign  possessions  ^  c 
were  lost.  Egypt  fell  a  prey  first  to  the 
mercenaries  brought  in  by  a  feeble,  cruel,  and  avaricious 
priesthood,  and  then  to  foreign  conquerors,  Ethiopians 
and  Assyrians.  In  663  B.  C. ,  for  the  last  time,  a  strong 
native  monarchy  was  reestablished  under  Psammetic  I, 
and  Egypt  turned  with  enthusiasm  to  the  forms  and 
ideas  of  Egypt  of  the  Old  Empire,  Egypt  of  the  period 
of  the  culmination  of  its  culture.  When  the  old  priest¬ 
hoods  were  revived  and  the  old  titles  of  honor,  whose 
functions  were  forgotten,  then  also  the  old  monuments 
were  copied  and  imitated,  but  with  a  certain  sweet 
delicacy,  a  certain  effeminacy  and  aestheticism  which 
were  happily  lacking  in  the  old  art. 

This  renaissance  period  ended  practically  with  the 
Persian  conquest  in  52 5  B.  C.  Egyptian  culture  clung 
tenaciously  to  its  fixed  forms  through  the  Ptolemaic 
period  (332—30  B.  C. )  and  the  Roman  period  (30  B.  C.~ 
300  A.  D.).  It  lost  its  identity  with  the  introduction 
of  Christianity.  The  last  stand  made  by  civilized 
paganism  against  Christianity  was  in  the  Isis  Temple 
at  Philae,  where  the  services  were  maintained  as  late 
as  the  fifth  century  after  Christ. 


THE  DIVISIONS  OF  EGYPTIAN  HISTORY  ARE 

1.  Predynastic  Period.  About  4500-3300  B.  C. 

2.  Early  Dynastic  Period.  3300-3000  B.  C.  Dynasties  I  and  II. 

3.  Old  Empire.  3000-2400  B.  C.  Dynasties  III-VI.  The 

great  culminating  period. 


8 


EGYPTIAN  ART 


4.  The  Intermediate  Period.  2400-9100  B.  C.  Dynasties 

VII-X.  Political  disunion  and  economic  depression. 

5.  Middle  Umpire,.  2100-1700  B.  C.  Dynasties  XI-XIII. 

6.  The,  Hyksos  Period.  1700-1600  B.  C.  Dynasties  XIV- 

XVI.  Disunion  and  subjection  to  foreigners. 

7.  New  Empire.  1700-1200  B.  C.  Dynasties  XVII-XIX. 

Period  of  political  and  religious  organization.  Economic 
prosperity  based  largely  on  foreign  conquest.  Great 
architectural  activity. 

8.  Late  Period.  1200-663  B.  C.  Dynasties  XX-XXV.  Dom¬ 

ination  of  Anion  priesthood.  Usurpation  of  Libyan  mer¬ 
cenaries.  Conquest  of  Egypt  by  ^Ethiopia  and  Assyria. 
0.  Renaissance.  663-525  B.  C.  Dynasty  XXVI. 

10.  Persian  Period.  525-332  B.  C.  Dynasties  XXVII-XXX. 

11.  Ptolemaic  Period.  332-30  B.  C. 

12.  Roman  Period.  30  B.  C.-394  A.  D. 

13.  Byzantine  (Coptic)  Period.  394-638  A.  D. 

14.  Moslem  Period.  638  A.  D.  to  present  day. 

The  following  list  of  books  is  made  for  the  convenience  of 
visitors  who  wish  to  become  acquainted  with  the  more  im¬ 
portant  features  of  ancient  Egyptian  history  and  art.  The 
books  are  all  of  them  in  the  Museum  Library,  where  they  are 
accessible  to  the  public.  The  visitor  will  find  many  other 
publications  in  French,  German,  and  English  in  the  Library, 
as  well  as  a  great  number  of  photographs. 

K.  Baedeker  (Editor),  Egypt.  2  vols.,  dealing  with  Upper 
and  Lower  Egypt. 

Egypt  Exploration  Fund,  Atlas  of  Ancient  Egygit.  1894. 

W.  M.  Flinders  Petrie  and  others,  A  History  of  Egypt. 

J.  H.  Breasted,  A  History  of  Egypt.  1905. 

G.  Maspero:  The  Dawn  of  Civilization.  1894.  The  Struggle 
of  the  Nations.  1896.  The  Passing  of  the  Empires.  1900. 
Manual  of  Egyptian  Archaeology.  1889.  Translation 
from  the  French  by  A.  B.  Edwards. 

A.  Erman,  Life  in  Ancient  Egypt, .  1894.  Translation  by  H. 

M.  Tirard. 

Jean  Capart,  Primitive  Art  in  Egypt.  Translated  by  A.  S. 

Griffith,  1905,  with  revision  by  the  author. 

W.  M.  Flinders  Pelrie,  Egyptian  Tales.  2  vols.  An  English 
adaptation  of  the  ancient  stories  translated  into  French 
by  Maspero. 


PREDYNASTIC 


9 


Flint  Implements,  Jewelry ,  etc.  Predynastic 

The  collection  of  objects  from  the  predynastic  period 
is  small  but  fully  characteristic.  The  beautiful  chip¬ 
ping  of  the  flint  weapons  and  implements,  the  wonder¬ 
ful  finish  of  the  stone  mace-heads  and  vessels,  show  the 
highest  technical  skill  attained  by  neolithic  man.  The 
copper  harpoons,  imitating  in  form  the  bone  harpoons, 
are  among  the  earliest  examples  of  metal  work  found 
in  Egypt. 


to 


EGYPTIAN  ART 


H 


l  Vliite  Line  Decorated  Pottery  Predynastic 

The  pottery  vessels  of  red-burnished  soft  brown 
ware,  decorated  with  drawings  in  white  or  yellow 
lines,  belong  to  the  early  predynastic  period.  They 
are  contemporaneous  with  the  flint  implements.  The 
drawings  show  the  very  beginnings  of  the  art  which 
nroduced  the  later  paintings  and  painted  reliefs. 


The  pottery  vessels  of  hard,  fine,  pink  ware,  decorated 
with  drawings  in  red  lines,  are  characteristic  of  the 
copper  period,  and  mark  a  decided  improvement  in  the 
material  used  in  the  pottery.  The  color  of  the  line 
drawings  has  been  changed  from  white  to  red  to  obtain 
a  contrast  with  the  lighter  background.  The  symbols 
introduced  in  the  standards  on  the  boats  are  the  sym¬ 
bols  used  later  to  designate  the  deities  of  the  tribal 
nomes,  and  they  represent  the  very  beginning  of  the 
invention  of  hieroglyphic  writing. 


Red  Line  Decorated  Pottery 


j 

Middle  Predynastic 


OLD  EMPIRE 


Portrait  Statue  in  Wood  of  Senedem-ib-Meliy  Dynasty  VI 
From  Giza 

This  statue  has  been  compared  in  artistic  quality 
with  the  Dynasty  IV  statue  of  Sheik-el-Beled1  in  the 
Cairo  Museum,  which  is  the  most  famous  wood-carving 
from  Ancient  Egypt. 


1  A  cast  of  this  statue  may  be  seen  in  the  Study  Series  on 
the  ground  floor. 


12 


EGYPTIAN  ART 


Gold  and  Faience  Necklace  of  Tm-Thepy  Dynasty  VI 


This  unusual  necklace  was  found  in  the  tomb  of 
Itn-Thepy  at  Giza.  Other  objects  from  his  tomb, 
including  his  inscribed  alabaster  head-rest  and  copper 
sacrificial  vessels,  may  be  seen  in  the  same  case.  His 
wooden  coffin  is  on  exhibition  in  the  Study  Series. 


OLD  EMPIRE 


13 


Colored  Statuettes  of  Ptah-khenuwi  and 
his  Wife  Dynasty  V 


This  pair  statue  of  a  common  priest  of  Dynasty  V 
and  his  wife  is  exactly  like  the  slate  pair  on  page  17  in 
grouping  and  attitude.  It  was  found  in  the  statue 
chamber  of  the  mastaba  of  Ptah-khenuwi  in  the  ceme¬ 
tery  of  the  priests  of  Cheops.  In  Dynasty  V  the 
funerary  priests  of  Cheops  utilized  the  streets  and  open 
places  of  the  royal  cemetery  as  sites  for  their  own 
tombs.  Ptah-khenuwi  was  one  of  these,  and  his  statu¬ 
ettes  show  the  impulse  given  to  private  art  by  the 
execution  of  the  great  masterpieces  of  Dynasty  IV 
sculpture.  The  man  who  made  this  pair  statuette  had 
almost  certainly  seen  our  Mycerinus  statues  and  had 


14 


EGYPTIAN  ART 


perhaps  worked  as  an  apprentice  with  the  Mycerinus 
sculptors.  The  statuettes  were  intended  for  portraits, 
as  was  required  by  the  purpose  which  they  served. 
The  stone  is  limestone.  The  conventional  colors  show 
the  finished  aspect  of  all  Egyptian  statuary,  and  make 
us  realize  how  fortunate  it  is  that  the  color  has  been 
lost  from  our  great  masterpieces. 


The  small  head  of  lime¬ 
stone  (lf&  inches  high)  — 
throughout  the  Old  Empire 
this  material  was  greatly 
favored  by  the  sculptors  — 
shows  well  the  climax  reached 
by  the  artists  of  the  Old  Em¬ 
pire  in  making  small  portraits. 
The  face  is  that  of  a  man  in 
middle  life,  and  shows  an 
ordinary,  matter-of-fact  per¬ 
son,  fairly  well  conditioned, 
and  viewing  the  world  good- 
naturedly.  The  type  of  head 
is  totally  different  from  the 
patrician  of  the  IV  Dynasty 
shown  on  page  26.  The 
earlier  portrait  is  clean-cut 
and  aristocratic ;  this  small 
head  is  that  of  some  man 
one  can  easily  imagine  to 
Portrait  Head  of  Limestone  have  worked  his  way  up  tiom 
Dynasty  F  the  ranks. 


OLD  EMPIRE 


15 


Magical  Set  of  Cheops  Dynasty  IV 

Sets  of  magical  implements  have  often  been  found 
in  graves  of  the  Old  and  Middle  Empires.  The  set 
found  in  the  Valley  Temple  of  Mycerinus  consists  of 
dummy  vases  and  a  flint  implement- called  a  peseshkef- 
wand,  bearing  the  two  names  of  Cheops.  This  wand 
applied  to  the  lips  of  the  dead  man  enabled  him  to 
speak  and  recite  the  magical  formulas  necessary  to  a 
happy  future  life.  The  objects  of  this  set  furnish  a 
striking  example  of  the  wonderful  power  over  hard 
stone  possessed  by  the  workmen  of  this  period. 


1 6 


EGYPTIAN  ART 


Ceremonial  Stone  Vessels  Dynasty  1  V 


In  the  predynastic  period  stone  vessels  were  very 
rare,  because  of  the  labor  involved  in  hand  carving  and 
the  difficulty  of  getting  suitable  blocks  of  stone.  During 
Dynasty  I,  when  the  use  of  copper  implements  had 
come  to  its  full  effect,  stone  vessels  entirely  replaced 
the  fine  pottery  vessels,  undoubtedly  owing  to  the 
opening  of  the  quarries  and  the  invention  of  the 
weighted  stone  borer.  In  Dynasty  III  vessels  made 
on  the  potter’s  wheel  appear  for  the  first  time,  and 
in  the  succeeding  dynasties  the  wheel-made  pottery 
vessels  replaced  the  stone  vessels  in  daily  use.  But  for 
many  purposes  stone  vessels  as  objects  of  luxury  still 
continued  to  be  made,  especially  as  ceremonial  vessels 
for  the  graves  of  kings  and  nobles.  The  series  of 
ceremonial  stone  vessels  from  the  Valley  Temple  of 
Mycerinus  show  the  great  variety  of  stones  at  the 
command  of  the  artisans  of  Dynasty  IV — alabaster, 
several  kinds  of  limestone,  diorite,  syenite,  granite, 
basalt,  porphyry,  slate,  crystal,  and  brecchia.  The 
outside  appears  in  all  cases  to  be  formed  and  finished 
by  hand.  Some  of  the  undressed  vessels  show  a 
pounded  surface  similar  to  that  of  the  unfinished  stat¬ 
uettes.  The  inside  was  bored  out  with  the  weighted 
stone  borer  or  by  the  copper  cylinder  borer,  though 
certain  parts  were  rubbed  out  by  hand.  A  few  of 
these  vessels  which  bear  the  names  of  earlier  kings, 
and  some  others  which  are  of  archaic  form,  were  prob¬ 
ably  taken  from  the  temples  of  earlier  tombs. 


OLD  EMPIRE 


I  7 


Slate  Group  :  Mycerinus  and  His  Queen  Dynasty  IV 


The  collection  of  Old  Empire  sculpture  comes  from 
the  excavations  of  the  Egyptian  expedition  sent  out  by 
Harvard  University  and  the  Museum  of  Fine  Arts. 
This  expedition  worked  during  the  period  1905  to  1910 


i8 


EGYPTIAN  ART 


at  the  pyramids  of  Giza,  and  was  especially  successful 
in  the  excavation  of  the  temples  attached  to  the  Third 
Pyramid,  built  by  Myeerinus  about  2800  B.  C.  Half 
of  the  statues  found  became  by  law  the  property  of  the 
Khedivial  Museum  and  half  are  now  in  the  Museum 
of  Fine  Arts.  The  importance  of  these  statues  for  the 
history  of  Egyptian  art  lies  not  merely  in  their  beauty, 
but  also  in  the  fact  that  they  are  the  first  masterpieces 
of  the  great  creative  fourth  dynasty  to  be  dated  beyond 
dispute.  They  have  enabled  us  to  remove  the  un¬ 
certainty  regarding  the  date  of  the  royal  statues  of 
Chephren  and  to  identify  the  Sphinx  as  a  portrait  of 
Chephren.  The  unfinished  statues  show  the  technical 
methods  of  the  Egyptian  workmen,  and  the  finished 
statues  reveal  the  artistic  intentions  and  the  ideals  of 
the  master-sculptors. 

All  Egyptian  sculpture,  both  statues  and  reliefs, 
served  a  purpose  which  to  the  Egyptian  mind  was  per¬ 
fectly  practical  — one  may  say,  utilitarian.  The  whole 
race  believed  in  a  life  after  death,  a  ghostly  duplicate 
of  life  on  earth,  but  with  added  necessities  and  dangers. 
The  statues  were  intended  to  be  exact  facsimiles  of  the 
man  to  furnish  an  abode  for  the  soul.  The  reliefs  were 
intended  to  provide  his  soul  with  spirit-food,  spirit- 
drink,  and  spirit-clothing.  Consequently,  the  whole 
sculpture  is  pervaded  by  an  exact,  painstaking  realism. 
This  realism,  commanding  the  wonderful  technical 
skill  of  the  Egyptians,  produced  the  exquisitely  modelled 
portraits  now  in  our  collection ;  but,  on  the  other  hand, 
hampered  by  the  crudeness  of  the  Egyptian  sense  of 
color,  the  same  realism  demanded  that  this  fine  model¬ 
ling  should  be  covered  with  simple,  conventional  colors. 
When  finished  so  as  to  fulfill  the  desired  practical 
magical  purpose,  both  statues  and  reliefs  presented  a 
crude,  gaudily-colored  aspect  which  robbed  them  of 
much  of  the  beauty  which  the  uncolored  stone  now  has 
for  modern  eyes. 


OLD  EMPIRE 


19 


Upper  part  of  Slate  Group  :  My  ceriums  and  His  Queen 
Dynasty  1 V 

The  slate  pair,  representing  Myeerinus  and  the 
Queen,  is  the  finest  example  of  Egyptian  portraiture 
in  the  Museum.  In  all  the  world,  it  is  rivalled  only 


20 


EGYPTIAN  ART 


by  the  diorite  statue  of  Chephren  in  the  Cairo  Museum. 
The  face  of  the  king  alone  has  received  the  final  polish¬ 
ing  and  the  coat  of  color  of  which  traces  may  still  be 
seen,  especially  about  the  ears.  The  rest  of  the  two 
figures  is  more  or  less  unfinished,  in  spite  of  the  fact 
that  the  modelling  appears  so  perfect.  The  royal  uraeus 
on  the  forehead  of  the  king  is  wanting,  yet  the  personal 
qualities  of  the  face  are  sufficient  to  convey  a  strong 
impression  of  royal  dignity  and  consciousness  of  power. 
The  queen’s  face  is  of  rare  womanly  loveliness.  We 
are,  undoubtedly,  looking  at  the  living  faces  of  a  royal 
pair, 


The  Slate  Group  as  Found 


OLD  EMPIRE 


21 


Seated  Statuette  of  Meryt-Aket-Nesut,  Superintendent  of  the 
Royal  Gardens.  Dynasty  V.  From  Giza 

A  portion  of  the  mastaba  in  which  this  statue  was 
found,  consisting  of  a  wall  of  the  outer  chamber  with 
the  doorway  to  the  inner  chamber,  is  installed  behind 
it  in  the  gallery. 


22 


EGYPTIAN  ART 


Head  of  Alabaster  Statue  of  My  ceriums  Dy  vasty  IV 

The  large  alabaster  statue  of  Myeerinus  is  in  a  frag¬ 
mentary  condition;  but  the  remarkable  workmanship 
of  the  parts  preserved  stamps  it  as  the  greatest  known 
masterpiece  of  Egyptian  sculpture.  It  was  completely 
finished,  but  fortunately  the  traces  of  the  black  beard 
and  hair  are  all  that  remain  of  the  coloring.  The 
modelling  of  the  knees  is  anatomically  perfect.  The 
face  presents  a  version  of  the  Myeerinus  face,  slightly 
different  from  that  of  the  slate  pair.  It  is  either  the 
work  of  a  different  artist  or  the  face  of  Myeerinus  at 
another  period  in  his  life.  There  are  also  two  versions 
of  the  Chephren  portrait  with  a  similar  difference. 
This  statue  was  worked  from  a  single  block  of  alabaster 
taken  from  the  Hat-nub  quarry. 


OLD  EMPIRE 


23 


A  labaster ;  Head  of  Shep-ses-kaf  Dynasty  1 V 

The  head  of  the  crown  prince,  showing  the  soft  im¬ 
mature  features  of  a  boy,  is  fully  equal  in  its  exquisite 
modelling  to  any  of  our  great  masterpieces.  The  face 
is  singularly  like  that  of  Mycerinus,  and  might  even  be 
taken  for  a  portrait  of  the  youthful  Mycerinus.  But 
the  custom  of  placing  statues  of  the  sons,  especially 
of  the  crown  princes,  in  the  tombs  of  their  fathers  is 
well  known ;  and  it  is  therefore  more  probable  that  this 
head  is  from  a  statue  of  the  crown  prince  Shep-ses-kaf, 
the  successor  of  Mycerinus- 


24 


EGYPTIAN  ART 


Unfinished  Statuettes  of  My  cerinus  Dynasty  IV 

When  Mycerinus  died,  the  Third  Pyramid,  the  tem¬ 
ples,  many  of  the  statues,  and  the  stone  vessels  were 
unfinished.  Shep-ses-kaf,  young,  harassed  by  rivals 
and  anxious  about  his  own  tomb,  completed  hastily  the 
pyramid  of  his  father,  and  placed  the  statues  as  they 
were  in  the  temples.  Thus  we  have  a  series  of  un¬ 
finished  statuettes  of  Mycerinus  showing  us  six  stages 
in  the  carving  of  a  statue. 

The  rough  blocking  has  manifestly  been  done  by 
sawing,  bruising,  and  rubbing.  The  artist  lias  marked 
the  statues  at  each  stage  with  red  lines  to  guide  the 
workman.  The  later  stages  have  been  worked  mainly 
by  rubbing.  The  fifth  stage  shows  a  Avell-modelled 
portrait  of  the  king  lacking  only  the  final  polish. 

The  slate  triad  opposite  is  not  a  relief,  but  a  triple 
statue  supported  by  a  heavy  slab,  a  device  used  freely 
in  all  periods  of  Egyptian  sculpture  to  prevent  frac¬ 
tures.  The  group  represents  Mycerinus,  Hathor, 
Mistress  of  the  Sycamore  Tree,  and  the  Hare  nome. 
The  inscription  before  the  nome  figure  says :  ‘  I  have 
given  thee  all  good  offerings  of  the  South  forever.” 
That  is,  this  triad  was  the  equivalent  of  the  figures 


OLD  EMPIRE 


25 


Slate  Triad  Nome-Goddess,  Hathor,  and  Mycerinus 
Dynasty  1 V 


bearing  offerings  found  on  the  tomb-reliefs  of  princes, 
—  figures  which  are  often  labelled  thus  each  with  the 
name  of  a  district.  Originally  there  must  have  been 
forty-two  of  these  triads,  one  for  each  of  the  forty- 
two  nomes.  Four  intact  triads  were  found,  all  of  Upper 


26 


EGYPTIAN  ART 


Portrait  Head  of  Nofer  Dynasty  IV 


Egyptian  nomes,  and  fragments  of  many  others  of  the 
same  material  and  about  the  same  size.  Alabaster  frag¬ 
ments  were  also  found,  and  it  may  be  that  the  Lower 
Egyptian  nomes  were  represented  by  alabaster  triads. 

In  Egypt  the  greatest  artisans  were  attached  to  the 
service  of  the  royal  family,  and  the  main  line  of  artistic 
development  is  always  found  in  the  work  done  for  the 
monarch.  Yet  all  work  follows  as  closely  as  possible 
the  technique  and  forms  of  the  royal  art.  It  is  of 
interest,  therefore,  to  have  the  portrait  head  of  the 
Treasurer  of  the  two  Magazines  of  Silver,”  Nofer,  of 
Dynasty  IV,  as  an  example  of  the  better  private  art 
of  that  period.  This  head  was  found  in  the  burial- 
chamber  of  the  mastaba  in  whose  offering-chamber  we 
found  the  relief  of  Nofer  reproduced  on  the  opposite 


OLD  EMPIRE 


27 


page.  Heads  of  this  type  were  intended  to  be  used  as 
magical  substitutes  for  the  real  head  in  case  the  latter 
was  damaged.  The  purpose  of  the  head  required, 
therefore,  that  it  should  be  an  exact  portrait ;  and  the 
strong,  bony  features  here  represented  carry  conviction 
of  their  truthfulness.  The  head  seems  to  be  rather 
rough  in  workmanship,  but  it  had  probably  been 
finished  with  plaster,  traces  of  which  are  still  visible. 


Portrait  of  Nofer  in  relief 


Dynasty  1 V 


28 


EGYPTIAN  ART 


Relief-work  reached  its  culmination  in  Dynasty  V, 
and  examples  of  Dynasty  IV  relief  are  uncommon. 
The  earlier  reliefs  are  very  low  and  delicate,  while 
those  of  Dynasty  V  project  distinctly  above  the  back¬ 
ground  and  are  boldly  modelled.  The  block  of  white 
limestone  with  the  figure  of  the  Treasurer  Nofer,  an 
offering'  inscription,  and  the  figures  of  four  of  his  scribes, 
is  not  only  a  typical  late  Dynasty  IV  work,  but  it  also 
affords  one  of  the  proven  cases  of  portraiture  in  relief. 
The  striking  facial  characteristics  of  the  magic  head  of 
Nofer  as  seen  in  profile  are  reproduced  beyond  dispute 
in  the  profile  relief  on  the  slab.  The  fourth  scribe 
represented  is  Sennuwka,  probably  the  same  man  whose 
offering-chamber  is  reproduced  in  the  next  illustration. 


OLD  EMPIRE 


29 


Relief  from  Tomb  of  SennuwJca  Dynasty  V 

The  mastaba  of  Nofer  occupied  a  site  in  the  royal 
cemetery.  Behind  it,  in  one  of  the  open  spaces  of 
the  cemetery,  a  tomb  of  Dynasty  V  had  been  built  for 
a  mayor  of  the  City  of  the  Pyramid  :  Glory  of  Cheops,  ’  ’ 
Sennuwka.  The  northern  false  door  in  the  west  wall 
of  the  offering-chamber  of  this  mastaba  is  here  repro¬ 
duced.  The  reliefs  were  never  entirely  finished,  and 
show  clearly  (on  the  right)  the  preliminary  outline 
drawing  in  black,  the  chiselling  away  of  the  back¬ 
ground,  and  the  rubbing  of  the  reliefs.  The  lines  do 


30 


EGYPTIAN  ART 


not  show  which  were  used  in  carrying  out  the  canon  of 
proportions,  yet  it  must  be  assumed  that  the  same  canon 
was  followed  as  in  other  Dynasty  V  reliefs  in  this  cem¬ 
etery.  A  vertical  line  was  drawn  for  each  human  figure, 
and  dots  were  placed  at  fixed  distances  on  this  line  to 
mark  the  knees,  the  waist,  the  navel,  the  breast,  the 
neck,  and  other  parts.  Through  these  dots  cross  lines 
were  drawn  and  dotted  to  mark  the  lateral  measure¬ 
ments.  A  comparison  of  the  various  known  prelimi¬ 
nary  drawings  shows  that  the  human  standing  figure, 
from  the  top  of  the  forehead,  excluding  the  crown  of 
the  head,  to  the  soles  of  the  feet,  was  divided  into  six 
spaces,  each  equal  to  the  length  of  the  foot.  This 
same  canon,  later  with  eighteen  divisions  instead  of  six, 
was  used  throughout  the  course  of  Egyptian  history. 

The  reliefs  were  finally  colored  as  in  the  mastabas  in 
the  middle  of  the  hall.  The  Mayor  Sennuwka  is  no 
doubt  the  same  man  as  the  fourth  scribe  of  the  Nofer 
relief,  but  advanced  in  office  after  perhaps  thirty  years 
of  public  service. 


OLD  EMPIRE 


Scene  on  Mastaba  Wall  Dynasty  V 

The  name  “mastaba”  is  a  modern  Arabic  word 
designating  the  low  adobe  bench  used  in  the  houses  of 
the  peasants.  It  was  first  applied  by  Mariette’s  workmen 
to  designate  the  superstructures  of  the  Old  Empire 
tombs,  rectangular  masses  with  flat  top  and  sloping 
sides,  and  has  been  adopted  by  Europeans  as  a  techni¬ 
cal  term  for  such  tombs.  The  mastaba  tomb  has 
many  different  forms,  but  all  present  the  same  func¬ 
tional  parts:  (l)  a  burial-chamber  underground  for 
the  protection  of  the  burial,  reached  by  a  stair,  a 
sloping  shaft  or  a  vertical  shaft,  and  closed  forever 
after  the  burial;  (2)  a  superstructure  containing  an 


32 


EGYPTIAN  ART 


offering-place,  a  meeting  place  for  the  living  with 
the  dead.  As  these  parts  were  functional,  they  varied 
in  form  with  the  growth  of  the  knowledge  of  ma¬ 
sonry  ;  and  the  mastabas  from  Dynasties  I  to  VI 
reproduce  exactly  the  history  of  Egyptian  architec¬ 
ture.  During  this  whole  period,  the  mastabas,  like 
the  pyramids,  are  orientated  parallel  to  the  valley, 
with  the  offering-chamber  on  the  valley  side  on  the 
southern  end  of  the  superstructure  opposite  the  burial- 
place.  In  other  words,  the  mastabas  on  the  east 
bank  face  west  and  those  on  the  west  bank  face  east, 
that  is,  they  face  the  offering-bearers  coming  up  from 
the  valley. 

The  offering-chamber,  or  chapel,  was  first  built  inside 
the  superstructure  in  the  reign  of  Chephren.  The 
form  of  interior  chapel  used  during  Dynasty  V  is  that 
shown  by  the  two  mastaba  chambers  from  Saqqarah. 
Hidden  in  the  filling  of  the  mastaba,  adjacent  to  the 
offering-room,  was  a  second  chamber  for  the  statues  of 
the  dead  and  his  family.  This  statue  chamber,  called 
a  serdab,”  was  sealed  up  but  connected  by  a  small 
slit  with  the  offering-chamber.  The  statues  faced  this 
slit,  which  was  intended  either  to  allow  the  spirit  of 
the  offering  to  penetrate  to  the  soul  in  the  statues  or 
to  allow  the  spirit  of  the  dead  to  visit  the  statues. 

The  offering-chamber  usually  has  one  or  two  sym¬ 
bolic  doors,  false  doors,”  on  the  side  towards  the 
burial-chamber,  which  in  the  earliest  known  forms  are 
copies  of  the  wood-roofed  mud-brick  doorways  of  the 
Early  Dynastic  period.  The  round  bar  at  the  top  of 
the  stone  niche  is  a  representation  of  the  first  log  of  the 
roof  over  the  doorway.  It  is  this  symbolic  door,  first 
built  of  mud-brick,  then  of  stones,  and  later  of  a  single 
slab,  as  in  our  mastabas,  which  finally  degenerated  into 
the  simple  grave  stone,  or  funerary  stele.  The  sym¬ 
bolic  door  bears  on  the  sides  the  name  and  titles  of 
the  deceased  with  an  offering  formula.  Above  he  is 


OLD  EMPIRE 


33 


represented  seated  at  a  table  of  offerings.  Sometimes  the 
middle  panel  is  carved  to  represent  a  wooden  door,  and 
in  one  or  two  cases  the  deceased  is  shown  in  the  act  of 
coming  out;  for  it  was  through  this  door  that  the  spirit 
was  supposed  to  pass  to  and  fro  between  the  grave  and 
the  world  of  the  living;  and  a  series  of  magical  texts 
to  assist  him  in  this  act  are  known,  called  ‘  texts  for 
coming  forth  by  day.”  This  is,  in  fact,  the  title  of 
the  so-called  Book  of  the  Dead.”  The  other  reliefs 
on  the  walls  of  the  offering-chamber  were  supposed  in 
some  way  to  provide  the  spirit  with  the  enjoyment  of 
the  earthly  scenes  there  depicted  —  sowing,  reaping, 
inspecting  the  cattle,  sacrifice,  and  feasting.  The 
magical  value  of  these  scenes  depended  on  their  realism, 
and  in  spite  of  all  their  technical  deficiencies,  these 
Egyptian  scenes  are  plausible  and  lifelike.  Nor,  as 
is  often  stated,  did  the  sculptor  hesitate  to  depict  mov¬ 
ing  figures,  such  as  the  man  running  with  two  heavy 
pails  of  live  fish  in  the  top  row  of  the  papyrus  swamp 
scene,  and  the  flying  birds  in  the  same  scene.  Yet 
there  is  no  true  perspective,  and  the  difficulties  of  the 
side  view  of  human  figures  were  never  overcome. 

The  coloring  of  these  reliefs  is  partly  preserved  and 
shows  the  conventional  scheme  of  red,  black,  white, 
blue,  green,  and  yellow,  universally  used  in  Egypt. 
Shades  are  practically  unknown,  and  the  painting 
without  relief  is  flat.  One  may  almost  say  that  the 
painting  is  merely  colored  drawing,  owing  its  whole 
charm  to  the  clear,  graceful  outlines.  The  colored 
drawings,  if  one  may  be  allowed  the  term,  are  earlier 
than  the  colored  reliefs,  and  the  uncolored  drawings 
are  still  earlier,  so  that  it  may  be  said  that  the 
colored  reliefs  are  an  advanced  form  of  colored  draw¬ 
ings,  an  almost  unconscious  attempt  to  gain  plasticity. 
Probably  the  Egyptian  artist  strove  for  his  effects  in 
a  practical  rule-of-thumb  manner,  without  much  theo¬ 
rizing;  but,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  his  relief-work  was 


34 


EGYPTIAN  ART 


an  accessory  to  the  painted  drawings.  It  gave  a  plas¬ 
ticity  which  his  crude  sense  of  color  could  never  attain, 
and  produced  the  similitude  of  life  which  was  the  aim 
of  all  his  efforts. 

The  variations  in  the  workmanship  of  some  parts  of 
these  mastahas  are  largely  due  to  the  different  kinds 
of  stone  used.  The  soft,  yellow  limestone  and  the 
brittle  nummelitic  limestone  are  from  the  local  quarries. 
Unsuitable  to  hue  work,  they  received  a  plaster  dressing 
which  has  largely  disappeared,  carrying  with  it  the 
finer  details.  The  best  preserved  parts  are  those  un¬ 
dressed  reliefs  carved  on  the  fine  white  limestone  slabs 
quarried  across  the  river  at  Turah.  As  is  usual  in  such 
large  pieces  of  Egyptian  work,  some  parts  have  been 
reworked  and  some  were  never  finished. 

The  offering-chambers,  no  matter  how  elaborate  their 
reliefs,  were  dark,  narrow  cells  lighted  dimly  by  one 
or  two  slit  windows.  On  the  set  feast  days  the  rela¬ 
tions  of  the  dead  came  with  their  offerings  of  food, 
which  they  placed  before  the  false  door.  Offering 
formulas  were  recited  to  secure  the  use  of  the  food  to 
the  spirit  of  the  dead.  The  offering  finished,  the  visitors 
went  away,  locking  the  wooden  door  and  leaving  the 
room  silent  and  deserted  until  the  next  feast  day. 


Figures  at  Base  of  Stele 


Dynasty  V 


MIDDLE  EMPIRE 


35 


The  most  striking  archi¬ 
tectural  features  of  the  great 
Egyptian  temples  are  the 
colonnaded  courts  and  the 
halls  of  columns.  The  stone 
architecture  of  Egypt  was  a 
secondary  development. 
The  mud-brick  architecture 
with  wooden  accessories  was 
fully  developed — masonry, 
arches,  columns — during 
the  first  two  dynasties,  and 
this  mud-brick  architecture 
was  transposed  into  stone 
during  the  third,  fourth, 
and  fifth  dynasties.  Thus, 
most  of  the  forms  and  de¬ 
tails  of  the  stone  archi¬ 
tecture  are  imitations  of 
the  older  mud-brick  archi¬ 
tecture.  It  is  therefore 
no  accident  that  stone  col¬ 
umns  imitate  the  palm  logs 
and  the  mud-smeared  bun¬ 
dles  of  plant  stems  used  as 
roof  supports  in  the  earlier 
days.  The  bundle-columns 
represent  bundles  of  nym- 


Papyrus  Bundle-Column 
Dynasty  XII 

stems.  The  capitals  are  formed  to  represent  buds  or 
flowers  —  usually  designated  4  closed”  or  4 4 open  cap¬ 
itals.”  The  papyrus  column  with  open  capital  is  often 
called  by  mistake  a  lotus  capital. 1 


phaea  caerulea  stems,  nym- 
phaea  lotus  (not  the  Indian 
lotus)  stems,  and  papyrus 


1  A  full  exposition  of  the  types  of  columns  may  be  found  in 
Borchardt’s  “  Pflanzensaule.” 


36 


EGYPTIAN  ART 


Statue  of  an  Egyptian  Lady  Named  Sennuwy 
Middle  Empire.  From  Kerma 

This  important  statue  fills  a  gap  in  the  collection, 
which  hitherto  had  no  representative  examples  ot 
Middle  Empire  sculpture. 


MIDDLE  EMPIRE 


37 


Statuette  Dynasty  XI 


Dynasty  XI 


Statuette 


The  colored  wooden  figures  represent  a  phase  of  the 
private  art  of  Egypt,  which  is  of  archaeological  rather 
than  of  artistic  interest.  During  the  decline  in  pros¬ 
perity,  following  the  extravagance  of  the  pyramid  age, 
the  great  mastaba  tomb  gave  place  to  the  simple  rock- 
cut  tomb.  The  functions  of  the  reliefs  and  of  the 
statues  were  assumed  by  a  simple  stele  and  by  small 
wooden  models  and  figures  placed  in  the  burial-chamber. 
These  figures,  seldom  more  than  mediocre  in  execu¬ 
tion,  are  usually  crude  and  merely  conventional  repre¬ 
sentations.  The  figures  shown  above  are  both  from 
the  early  Middle  Empire  cemetery  at  Assiut.  One  is 
a  woman  bringing  offerings,  the  other  is  an  attempted 
portrait  of  a  priest. 


38 


EGYPTIAN  ART 


Scarabs 


Top  row,  left  to  right:  faience  scarab  of  Dynasty 
XVIII,  showing  typical  scroll  work;  scarab  with  name 
of  Horus  ;  large  pottery  scarab  of  Usertesen  III ;  Dynasty 
XVIII  scarab  with  cartouche  of  Thothmes  III  on  the 
Bark  of  the  sun;  scarab  of  Amenhotep  II.  Middle 
row :  basalt  heart-scarab  '  ’ ;  large  royal  scarab  of 
Amenhotep  III,  struck  as  a  commemorative  token  of 
his  having  killed  one  hundred  and  two  lions  in  the  first 
ten  years  of  his  reign  (there  is  another  example  in  the 
British  Museum);  serpentine  heart  scarab,  finely  cut, 
but  uninscribed.  Bottom:  late  (Ptolemaic)  faience 
pectoral,  or  scarab  which  was  placed  on  the  breast  of 
the  mummy. 


NEW  EMPIRE 


39 


Portrait  Head  Dynasty  XVIII 

The  head  shown  above  is  from  a  squatting  private 
statue  of  the  New  Empire  similar  to  that  discussed  on 
page  41.  The  limestone  is  worked  to  a  fine  smooth 
surface.  The  head  was  colored  as  usual,  and  traces 
of  the  color  may  still  be  seen  on  its  lips.  The  date  is 
determined  solely  by  the  style  of  the  headdress. 


40 


EGYPTIAN  ART 


Royal  Portrait  Dynasty  XIX 

The  small  syenite  head  shown  above  is  a  royal  por¬ 
trait  of  the  New  Empire,  apparently  representing 
Ramses  II.  It  is  to  be  compared  with  the  head  of  the 
large  granite  statue  of  Ramses  on  page  42,  and  is 
another  illustration  of  the  persistence  of  the  forms  and 
technique  of  the  earlier  sculpture.  Originally  this  head 
was  colored  according  to  the  fixed  convention. 


NEW  EMPIRE 


41 


The  squatting  statue  of  Pa-ra-hotep,  of  gray  granite, 
is  a  typical  example  of  New  Empire  sculpture.  The 
technique,  and  even  the  form,  is  that  of  the  earlier 
work.  The  difference  lies  simply  in  the  dress.  The 
men  of  the  New  Empire  wore  a  longer  garment  and 
dressed  their  wigs  in  a  slightly  different  manner.  It 
must  not  be  forgotten  that  all  these  statues  are  mere 
portraits  intended  to  reproduce  the  outward  form  of 
the  man,  and  all  show  the  stiff,  dignified,  but  expres¬ 
sionless  attitude  of  the  Oriental  when  posing  for  a 


Statue  of  Par-ra-hotep 


Dynasty  XIX 


42  EGYPTIAN  ART 


portrait.  The  Egyp¬ 
tian  artist  represents 
character  only  by  ac¬ 
cident,  and  never  had 
occasion  to  attempt 
the  expression  of  fear, 
hate,  love,  or  other 
emotions. 

The  New  Empire, 
the  period  of  the 
greatest  prosperity  in 
the  whole  history  of 
Egypt,  owed  the 
greater  part  of  its 
wealth  to  the  looting 
of  Asia  and  the  Sou¬ 
dan.  The  founders  of 
Dynasty  XVII I  were 
princes  of  Thebes, 
and  when  they  drove 
out  the  Hyksos  and 
assumed  the  kingship 
over  Egypt  they  as- 
Seated  Granite  Statue  of  Ramses  II  cribed  their  success  to 
Dynasty  XIX  their  local  god  Amon, 

and  poured  their 
foreign  plunder  into  the  treasury  of  his  priesthood. 
Great  temples  were  built  all  over  Egypt.  The  Amon-Re 
priesthood  became  the  most  desirable  career  in  Egypt, 
and  Amon-Re  became  the  national  god  of  Egypt. 

When  Rainses  II  came  to  the  throne  the  Egyptians 
had  been  open  to  the  influence  of  Asia  for  more  than 
three  centuries.  The  land  was  filled  with  foreign  cap¬ 
tives,  the  gardens  boasted  of  outlandish  plants  and 
animals,  the  palaces  held  the  finest  products  of  Asiatic 
art,  and  the  market  places  offered  all  the  wares  of  the 
near  East  for  sale.  Yet  the  effect  on  Egyptian  art  is 


NEW  EMPIRE 


43 


surprisingly  small.  New  subject-matter  crops  out;  a 
few  new  compositions,  mainly  battle  scenes,  appear  in 
the  reliefs ;  but  in  general  Egyptian  art  remains  what 
it  was  •  •  the  same  in  technique,  practical  and  realistic. 
When  the  subject-matter  is  ceremonial,  as  in  this  statue 
of  Ramses  II,  the  production  shows  all  the  character¬ 
istics  of  the  Old  Empire.  Here  is  a  king  in  the  tra¬ 
ditional  insignia  of  the  monarchy,  as  he  appeared  at 
great  court  ceremonies.  The  attitude  is  almost  iden¬ 
tical  with  that  of  the  Mycerinus  statues,  and  the 
method  of  working  was  the  same.  Fifteen  hundred 
years  had  passed  by.  Egypt  had  learned  the  ways  of 
all  Western  Asia,  but  the  art  of  the  Old  Empire  still 
ruled,  the  greatest  of  all  in  that  time. 

This  statue  of  Ramses  II  and  most  of  the  art  of  his 
time  is,  however,  slightly  lacking.  There  is  size ;  there 
is  an  enormous  number  of  statues,  reliefs,  and  temples; 
but  there  are  also  signs  of  haste,  of  carelessness. 
Quality  is  being  sacrificed  to  quantity.  The  priest¬ 
hood  of  Amon-Re  is  growing  in  numbers  and  in  power. 
For  much  of  the  surplus  wealth  is  being  absorbed  by 
this  avaricious  organization.  In  the  preceding  century, 
Akhenaton  had  made  his  fight  to  break  the  priesthood, 
but  his  successors  had  lost  all  that  he  had  gained. 
From  this  time  forth  the  division  of  power  and  wealth 
was  inimical  to  the  production  of  great  finished  pieces 
of  work,  and  Egyptian  art  steadily  declined  down  to 
the  revival  of  Psammetic  I. 


44 


EGYPTIAN  ART 


Relief  New  Empire 

The  relief  portrait  of  a  New  Empire  king  shown 
above  is  a  beautiful  example  of  the  best  work  ot  that 
period,  hardly  inferior  to  the  Old  Empire  work.  This 
is  called  a  sunk-relief;  that  is,  the  background  has  not 
been  cut  away,  as  in  the  ordinary  reliefs.  Otherwise 
the  technique  is  the  same.  Sunk-reliefs  cost  less  labor 
and  are  especially  common  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
New  Empire. 


NEW  EMPIRE 


45 

The  face  in  the  relief  bears  the  characteristics  of  the 
Theban  royal  family, —  the  almond-shaped  eye  drawn 
down  at  the  inner  corner,  the  thin  nose  with  rounded 
tip,  and  the  fine  mouth.  The  type  may  still  be  seen 
among  the  people  of  Upper  Egypt.  On  the  head  is 
the  royal  war-helmet  with  the  uraeus. 


Support  for  a  Chair  in  the  Form  of  a  Panther  Dynasty  X  Fill 

However  much  they  conventionalized  the  human 
form,  the  Egyptians  treated  animals  with  fidelity  to 
nature,  as  may  be  seen  from  the  panther  shown  above. 
It  is  of  wood,  coated  with  bitumen.  The  panther’s 
stealthy  stride  is  well  caught,  and  the  blunt  head  is 
admirably  modelled.  The  piece  was  one  of  a  pair 
supporting  a  seat  or  throne.  The  apparent  symbolism 
is  ancient  and  is  to  be  contrasted  with  the  use  of 
figures  of  prisoners  for  the  same  purpose. 


46 


EGYPTIAN  ART 


Wooden  Panel,  Thothmes  IV  Dynasty  Will 

The  wooden  panel  is  likewise  from  a  piece  of  furni¬ 
ture,  and  bears  a  symbolic  decoration, —  Thothmes  IV 
as  a  sphinx  trampling  the  foreign  nations.  In  the 
case  of  chariots,  thrones,  mirrors,  spoons,  weapons, 
and  almost  all  objects,  the  ornamentation  was  symbolic 
or  magical  in  character.  Images  and  figures  of  deities 
and  divine  animals  were  freely  used,  each  appropriate 
to  its  object, —  the  ugly  god  of  the  toilet  on  cosmetic 
boxes,  the  scarabaeus  on  seals,  hunting  scenes  on 
weapons,  and  battle  scenes  on  chariots.  From  the 
earliest  predynastic  period .  figures  of  sacred  animals 
were  carved  on  the  slate  paint  palettes  and  had  a 
magical  protective  force.  In  later  times  the  use  ot 
hieroglyphic  writing  gave  a  special  significance  to 
almost  every  object,  to  every  element  used  in  orna¬ 
mentation.  Thus  the  papyrus  stem  with  open  flower, 
often  called  a  lotus  by  mistake,  has  the  meaning  “  to 
be  green,”  l<to  be  flourishing. ”  It  is  ot  interest  to 
note  that  Thothmes  IV  is  the  prince  named  in  the 
granite  stele  at  the  breast  of  the  Great  Sphinx  as  the 


NEW  EMPIRE 


47 


One  who  cleared  the  Great  Sphinx  of  sand  and  reestab¬ 
lished  its  offerings.  The  workmanship  of  the  panel 
shows  the  soft  finish  of  the  best  work  of  the  New  Empire. 


Faience  Six  Foreign  Captives  New  Empire 


The  six  faience  plates,  representing  foreign  captives,, 
are  wonderful  examples  of  Egyptian  handicraft.  The 
ability  to  see  and  to  copy  things  as  they  are  has  pro¬ 
duced  in  these  colored  glazes  the  negro  (first  and 
fifth  from  the  left)  and  the  Arab  (fourth),  just  as 
we  see  them  to-day,  though  in  a  different  dress.  The 
others,  the  Philistian  (third),  the  Asiatic,  possibly  the 
■Libyan.,  must  be  equally  true  to  life,  just  as  they 
appeared  disembarking  in  bonds  from  the  Egyptian 
war-galleys  at  Thebes.  The  plates  themselves  were 
inlays,  probably  from  some  piece  of  royal  furniture, 
and  are  another  example  of  the  symbolic  ornamentation 
mentioned  above. 


48 


EGYPTIAN  ART 


Faience  Inlay  New  Empire 


This  beautiful  head  is  merely  an  inlay  piece  from 
the  symbolic  ornamentation  of  some  object.  The  wig 
is  of  glazed  pottery  and  the  face  of  glass  paste.  The 
features  are  distinctly  those  of  the  royal  Theban  family 
of  the  New  Empire,  as  may  be  seen  by  comparing  it 
with  the  relief  on  page  44.  This  piece,  together  with 
the  figures  of  captives,  is  said  to  have  come  from  the 
palace  of  Ramses  III  at  Medinet-Habu,  opposite 
Thebes. 


NEW  EMPIRE 


49 


This  great  royal 
scarab  comes  from 
Dynasty  XIX,  and 
bears  two  of  the 
names  of  Seti  I, 
alternately  re¬ 
peated.  The  work¬ 
manship,  size,  and 
condition  of  the 
specimen  make  it 
the  finest  example 
of  its  class  in  exist¬ 
ence.  It  is  made 
with  a  greenish- 
blue  glaze,  laid  on 
rather  thinly.  The 
face  shows  traces 
of  gold  leaf,  which 
indicate  that  at  one 
time  the  whole  face 
of  the  scarab  was 
gilded,  while  the 
specimen  is  bound  with  strips  of  pale  gold,  to  which  a  ring 
for  suspension  is  attached  in  front.  The  modelling  of  the 
beetle  is  particularly  lifelike  and  free  from  convention, 
as  may 
be  seen 
from  the 
second 
cut,  in 
which 
the  same 
scarab 
is  shown 
in  pro¬ 
file. 


Face  of  Large  Scarab 


EGYPTIAN  ART 

Gold  was  one  of  the  first  metals 
worked  by  the  predynastic  Egyptians 
and  was  always  a  favorite  for  amulets, 
charms,  and  ornaments.  It  is  even 
possible  that  copper  was  discovered  in 
some  attempt  at  extracting  gold  from 
copper  ore.  In  the  archives  of  Amen- 
ophis  IV,  at  Tell  Amarna,  a  number  of 
letters  in  cuneiform  script  were  found 
in  which  the  kings  of  Babylon  beg 
Amenophis  for  gold,  saying:  Gold  is 
as  dust  in  the  street  in  the  land  of  our 
brother.”  The  chief  mines,  now  ex¬ 
hausted,  were  in  Wady  Alaqi,  in  the 
eastern  desert,  where  the  ancient  work- 
, statuette  of  jngs,  the  crucibles,  and  smelters  may 

e>s  still  be  seen. 

>1/ nasty  .  -  The  gold  statuette  of  the  god  Hershef, 

found  at  Hierakleopolis,  is  a  rare  and 
beautiful  example  of  goldsmith’s  work.  It  is  from 
Dynasty  XXIII  and  bears  a  votive  inscription  in  minute 
hieroglyphics  on  the  base. 


Gold  Pectoral  Ornament 


The  statuette  above  is  an  example  of  carved  gold 
work ;  the  amulet  in  the  form  of  a  ba-bird,  or  soul  in 
the  form  of  a  bird,  is  an  example  of  the  more  usual 
beaten  gold  work. 


NEW  EMPIRE 


Cut  Skin  Garment  Dynasty  XV1I1 

Did  no  other  monument  of  Egyptian  antiquity  re¬ 
main  to  us  than  the  cut  gazelle-skin  garment  shown  in 
the  above  plate,  both  the  industry  and  the  skill  of  the 
artisans  would  be  convincingly  attested.  The  piece, 
which  is  only  half  of  the  complete  garment,  was  found 
with  a  similar  one  in  the  tomb  of  Maiherpri,  a  prince 
of  Dynasty  XVIII,  and  a  cup-bearer  of  Thothmes  IV 
(1436-1427  B.  C.).  The  meshes  are  made  entirely 
Dy  cutting  slits  in  the  skin,  and  then  stretching  it 
laterally.  At  the  shoulders,  where  seams  are  visible 
across  the  borders,  are  two  piecings,  the  meshes  being 
tied  with  microscopic  knots. 


52 


EGYPTIAN  ART 


Portrait.  Ptolemaic  (?)  Profile  of  the  Same 

The  last  great  period  of  Egyptian  art  began  about 
700  B.  C.  After  the  time  of  Ramses  III  (about  1200 
B.  C.),  the  power  of  the  monarchy  was  gradually 
usurped  by  the  high  priest  of  Amon-Ra.  These  avari¬ 
cious  and  unwarlike  theocrats  abandoned  the  foreign 
possessions  and  utilized  Libyan  mercenaries  to  hold  the 
Egyptian  provinces  in  subjection.  First  the  Libyans 
wrested  the  throne  from  their  employers  and  fell  them¬ 
selves  before  the  rising  power  of  the  Aethiopian  kings. 
Then  the  Assyrians,  enjoying  the  profits  of  the  con¬ 
quest  of  Western  Asia,  drove  out  the  Aethiopians  and 
held  Lower  Egypt  as  a  province.  In  663  B.  C.,  at  a 
moment  when  the  Assyrians  were  preoccupied  by  in¬ 
ternal  trouble,  a  certain  prince  of  Sais  using  Greek 
mercenaries  established  himself  as  king  of  all  Egypt 
under  the  name  of  Psammetic,  the  first  of  that  name. 
During  the  long  period  of  foreign  domination,  the 
national  consciousness  appears  to  have  been  awakened. 
The  Egyptians,  surrounded  by  the  monuments  of  their 
ancient  greatness,  remembered  and  attempted  to  revivify 
the  past.  Priests  were  appointed  to  renew  the  funerary 


PTOLEMAIC 


53 


services  of  Cheops  and  Chephren.  Old  texts,  some¬ 
times  only  half  understood,  were  copied,  and  many  a 
a  word  is  found  resuscitated  after  centuries  of  disuse. 
Monuments  of  the  Old  Empire  were  taken  as  models 
of  the  best  in  art.  The  forms  were  copied  with  a 
finish  which  rivalled  the  best  Egyptian  work.  This  is 
the  dominating  quality  of  the  Saite  art  —  it  is  the  imi¬ 
tation  of  the  forms  of  a  sincere,  realistic,  older  art 
carried  out  with  the  old  technical  skill.  A  certain 
idealism  is  thus  brought  in  —  a  belief  in  qualities  no 
longer  seen  in  actual  life.  For  all  ceremonial  works, 
where  the  reliance  on  antiquity  was  greatest,  there  is 
a  delicacy  of  treatment,  a  softness  of  outline  which 
seems  to  indicate  some  measure  of  aesthetic  feeling. 
But  in  some  cases,  such  as  this  portrait  of  the  priest  in 


Portrait  of  a  Priest  Saite 


hard  green  stone,  the  old  demand  for  realism  still  per¬ 
sisted  and  was  obeyed  with  all  the  old  fidelity  to  truth. 
Just  as  in  the  days  of  Mycerinus,  a  form  of  the  earthly 
man  in  imperishable  stone  was  needed  for  the  use  of 
his  ka  or  soul,  and  just  as  the  ancient  artist  reproduced 
the  bulging  eyes  and  puffy  cheeks  of  the  builder  of 
the  Third  Pyramid,  so  the  Saite  artist,  equally  un¬ 
afraid,  portrays  the  defects  and  the  cruel  lines  of  the 
crafty  priest  of  his  day. 


54 


EGYPTIAN  ART 


Mummy  Portrait  Painted  in  Wax  on  Wood 
First  or  Second  Century  A.D. 

From  a  burying-ground  at  El-Rubayat,  in  the  Prov¬ 
ince  of  Fayum,  this  portrait  is  a  specimen  of  the  en¬ 
caustic  paintings  on  thin  panels  of  wood  which  in  the 
Graeco-Roman  period  were  substituted  for  the  plastic 
representations  of  the  face  of  the  dead  used  on  mummies 
of  earlier  times.  The  panel  was  laid  over  the  face  of 
the  mummy,  and  the  outer  bandages  were  wrapped 
about  it  so  as  to  cover  its  margin.  Fragments  of  the 
cloth  still  adhere  to  the  present  portrait. 


ROMAN,  COPTIC 


55 


Coptic  Class  Roman  and  Byzantine  Periods 

Glass-making  in  Egypt  goes  back  perhaps  to  the 
Middle  Empire.  The  early  vessels  are  all  opaque  and 
variegated  in  color,  and  seem  to  have  been  made  on  a 
core  which  was  afterwards  broken  up  and  shaken  out. 
Colored  glass  pastes  were  also  used  for  beads,  inlays, 
and  grinding  blue  and  green  colors ;  but  clear  glass 
seems  to  have  been  entirely  a  foreign  invention,  ap¬ 
pearing  first  in  Ptolemaic- Roman  times.  The  pieces 
shown  are  from  Coptic  times  and  show  many  forms 
found  in  Syria  in  the  same  period. 


56 


SEMITIC  ART 


Relief  of  King  Assur-nazir-pal 

The  figure  of  a  winged  god,  a  relief  from  the  palace 
of  Assur-nazir-pal  (about  889-859  B.  C. )  is  a  charac¬ 
teristic  example  of  formal  Assyrian  sculpture,  though 
by  no  means  of  the  best.  It  shows  the  same  practical 
magical  purpose  revealed  so  universally  by  the  Egyp¬ 
tian  reliefs.  The  eye  is  full,  as  in  Egypt;  but  some 


SEMITIC  ART 


57 


of  the  difficulties  of  the  profile  view  —  the  feet,  the 
shoulders  —  have  been  more  or  less  successfully  han¬ 
dled.  Yet  the  heavy  outlines,  the  crude  modelling, 
and  the  lifeless  conventions  deprive  the  whole  of  grace 
or  even  plausibility.  In  the  fourth  millennium  before 
Christ  the  primitive  productions  of  the  two  civiliza¬ 
tions,  Egypt  and  Babylonia,  show  almost  equal  tech¬ 
nical  skill.  Both  nations*  had  a  similar  economic 
development  in  a  rich  agricultural  valley.  In  both 
cases  the  art  developed  as  much  in  the  service  of 
magic  and  religion  as  in  that  of  the  needs  of  daily  life. 
Even  the  materials  available  for  architecture  and  sculp¬ 
ture  were  not  very  different.  Finally,  both  races  were 
largely  Semitic  in  origin  and  lived  in  contact  with 
each  other  from  1500  B.  C.  to  long  after  the  period  of 
Assur-nazir-pal.  Yet  Egyptian  art,  sincere  and  cer¬ 
tain  in  its  truth,  has  left  a  series  of  great  masterpieces, 
while  Babylonian  art  has  only  succeeded  in  arousing 
curiosity  and  archaeological  interest. 


CLASSICAL  ART 


FINDING  LIST 


Page 

Gallery 

66 

Classical  Corridor 

67-78 

.  .  .  .  Archaic 

79-85 

.  .  .  .  Fifth  Century 

86  (upper) 

.  .  .  Classical  Corridor 

86  (lower) 

.  .  .  Graeco-Roman 

87-94 

Fifth  Century 

95-97 

.  .  .  Fourth  Century 

98-100  . 

.  .  .  Graeco-Roman 

101 

.  .  .  .  Late  Greek 

102-108  . 

.  .  .  Fourth  Century 

109 

.  .  .  .  Late  Greek 

no 

.  .  .  Graeco-Roman 

111-119  . 

Late  Greek 

120 

Graeco-Roman 

121 

Graeco-Roman  Court  (Ground  Floor) 

122 

.  .  Vase  Rooms  (Ground  Floor) 

125//  . 

Fifth  Century 

The  exhibitions  of  Coins  are  changed  from  time  to  time. 


ROTUNDA 


CLASSICAL  ART 


SINCE  the  time  of  the  Italian  Renaissance,  when  men 
turned  to  the  remains  of  antiquity  with  the  enthusiasm 
of  discovery,  classical  art  has  held  the  same  high 
position  as  has  been  accorded  to  classical  literature.  The 
best  examples  of  Greek  art,  however,  waited  much  longer 
for  recognition  and  appreciation  than  the  masterpieces 
of  Greek  poetry.  The  sculptures  with  which  princely  and 
ecclesiastical  dilettanti  of  Italy  adorned  their  palaces  and 
gardens  were  usually  Roman  imitations  of  Greek  works, 
suggesting  in  only  a  limited  measure  the  significance  and 
vitality  of  the  originals. 

The  opening  of  the  nearer  East  to  archaeological  explora¬ 
tion  has  restored  to  the  modern  world  priceless  examples  of 
original  Greek  work,  representing  the  ideas  and  the  tech¬ 
nical  achievement  of  many  generations,  and  has  enabled 
students  of  antiquity  to  attain  a  truer  view  than  ever  before 
of  the  essential  qualities  of  ancient  art.  They  have  learned, 
for  instance,  that  in  real  Greek  sculpture  beauty  does  not 
imply  monotonous  smoothness  of  form  or  coldness  of  ex¬ 
pression  ;  that  dignity  and  repose  are  not  inconsistent 
with  thorough  animation.  They  have  learned  not  only  to 
admire  and  enjoy  the  art  of  the  “classical”  period  in  the 
more  restricted  sense  of  the  word,  but  to  accept  with  sym¬ 
pathy  and  pleasure  the  work  of  earlier  artists,  whose 
struggle  with  conventions  and  technical  difficulties  makes 
only  the  more  effective  the  sincerity  of  their  effort  for  vigor¬ 
ous  expression  of  ideas  about  gods  and  men  ;  while  the  dis¬ 
covery  of  important  sculptures  of  the  Hellenistic  period  has 
revealed  in  late  Greek  art  an  individualism  and  a  dramatic 
power  which  are  sometimes  supposed  to  be  exclusively 
modern. 


62 


CLASSICAL  ART 


I.  Prehistoric  Art  of  Greece,  3000-1000  B.  C.  In  its 
period  of  highest  development  and  of  decline  the  pre¬ 
historic  art  of  Greece  is  generally  called  “Mycenaean,” 
because  it  first  became  widely  known  through  the  excava¬ 
tion  of  Mycenae.  The  civilization  which  produced  it 
probably  centred  originally  in  the  island  of  Crete,  whose 
position  and  resources  brought  its  early  population  the 
power  and  wealtli  that  are  echoed  in  the  tradition  of  Minos, 
King  of  Cnossos.  The  art  of  these  people  shows  at  its  best 
an  admirable  skill  in  decorative  design  and  a  freedom  of 
style  approaching  naturalism,  even  though  its  method  is 
far  from  exact  representation.  It  reflects  no  ideas  of  pro¬ 
found  interest,  but  phenomena  of  marine,  animal,  and  even 
human  life  are  presented  vividly  and  freshly.  The  work 
of  this  period  is  exemplified  in  the  Museum  by  an  ivory 
statuette  (p.  67 ),  by  a  series  of  vases  in  stone  and 
pottery,  and  by  a  few  seal-stones. 

II.  Archaic  Greek  Art,  1000-500  B.  C.  The  long  de¬ 
cline  of  Mycenaean  art,  due  to  political  and  social  changes 
which  accompanied  the  shifting  of  population  in  Greece 
about  1000  B.  C.,  was  succeeded  by  the  development  of 
the  art  of  the  historic  Greek  people.  In  the  plastic  and 
graphic  arts  their  earliest  efforts  embody  but  inadequately 
the  wealth  of  interesting  ideas,  of  which  there  is  such 
abundant  evidence  in  the  contemporary  Homeric  poems; 
they  had  to  learn  not  only  the  mastery  of  tools  and  mate¬ 
rials,  but  certain  elementary  lessons  in  the  “grammar  of 
art,”  in  which  the  older  Oriental  peoples  were  their 
teachers.  The  pottery  of  Corinth  and  Rhodes  shows  the 
strong  influence  which  Eastern  art  exerted  on  early  Greek 
work  in  the  seventh  century  B.  C.  Oriental  motives  and 
methods  became,  however,  only  the  stepping-stones  to 
original  expression;  the  Greek  did  not  lose  his  inde¬ 
pendence  of  vision  and  feeling,  and  the  characteristic 
humanism  of  Greek  art  is  already  manifest  in  the  work  of 
the  sixth  century  B.  C.,  though  it  finds  expression  chiefly  in 


INTRODUCTION 


63 


works  controlled  by  religious  motives  —  statues  of  gods, 
ideal  statues  of  athletes  commemorating  victories  in  re¬ 
ligious  games,  and  other  sculptures  dedicated  to  deities. 
Within  the  limits  of  certain  accepted  conventions,  the 
later  archaic  sculptures  show  a  marked  individuality  of 
style.  In  this  Museum  the  period  is  illustrated  not 
only  by  some  interesting  sculptures  (pp.  68~71,  79), 
but  by  bronze  statuettes  (pp.  71,  72,  73),  by  coins 
issued  by  many  Greek  cities  in  the  sixth  century  (p. 
126),  and  by  painted  vases  on  which  the  subjects,  and 
in  some  degree  the  qualities,  of  archaic  frescoes  are 
imitated  (pp.  76  and  77). 

III.  The  Fifth  Century,  500-400  B.  C.  During 
the  years  in  which  the  Greek  states  were  rising  to  their 
highest  military  and  political  power,  the  technical  prog¬ 
ress  of  the  arts  continued,  and  the  conventions  of  the 
archaic  period  gradually  gave  place  to  a  free  style.  The 
period  of  transition  (480-450  B.  C.)  is  represented  in 
this  collection  by  one  of  the  finest  of  the  few  extant 
originals  (pp.  80_83).  Adequate  representation  of  the 
human  form  in  every  variety  of  attitude  or  action  was 
specially  sought ;  but  this  representation  was  not  literal 
or  even  individual;  it  reflected  the  idea  of  a  type.  In 
its  most  characteristic  achievement,  such  as  the  sculp¬ 
tures  of  the  Parthenon,  the  art  of  the  fifth  century  may 
be  called  social  and  civic  in  its  motive.  It  embodies 
more  completely  than  any  other  the  Hellenic  ideal  of 
proportion,  sanity,  and  self-command.  The  Museum 
possesses  very  few  sculptures  of  this  date  (p.  85), 
but  the  qualities  suggested  above  may  be  studied  and 
enjoyed  in  the  collections  of  smaller  objects ;  for  in¬ 
stance,  the  beautiful  coins  of  Sicily  and  Southern  Italy 
(pp.  126,  128,  130),  the  vases  decorated  by  Athenian 
painters  of  the  fifth  century  (pp.  89-93),  and  some 
unique  examples  of  gold  jewelry  (p.  88). 


64 


CLASSICAL  ART 


IV.  The  Fourth  Century,  400-300  B.  C. ,  was  an  age 
in  which  the  older  influences  of  religion  and  the  state 
waned,  and  individualism  came  to  dominate  Greek 
thought  and  action.  Artists  now  more  clearly  distin¬ 
guished  individual  character,  and  applied  their  newly 
attained  skill  to  the  portrayal  of  emotional  states,  even 
of  transitory  feeling.  The  head  of  Aphrodite  (p.  97) 
in  the  Bartlett  Collection  in  this  Museum,  though  thor¬ 
oughly  ideal  in  its  beauty,  has  a  more  particularized 
character  and  is  more  directly  expressive  of  emotion 
than  sculptures  of  the  fifth  century.  Several  other 
original  marbles  of  the  fourth  century  contribute  much 
to  the  value  of  the  collection  of  classical  sculpture  in  the 
M  useum.  The  head  of  a  goddess  from  Chios  (p.  99), 
a  fragment  of  a  group  representing  an  Amazon  on  horse¬ 
back  and  a  fallen  opponent  (p.  95),  and  a  small  figure 
of  a  mourning  Siren  (p.  102),  deserve  special  mention. 
Attention  should  be  given  to  the  metal  work  of  this 
time,  illustrated  by  the  graceful  groups  on  bronze  mirror 
cases  shown  in  the  Fourth  Century  Room  (p.  106). 

V.  The  Hellenistic  Period,  300-100  B.  C.,  dated  ap¬ 
proximately  from  the  reign  of  Alexander  to  the  estab¬ 
lishment  of  Roman  power  in  Greece,  shows  a  further 
development  of  tendencies  already  manifest  in  the  fourth 
century.  Individualism  led  to  the  growth  of  vigorous 
portraiture,  exemplified  by  some  of  the  best  sculptures 
in  this  Museum  (pp.  101  and  109).  Ancient  myths, 
no  longer  matters  of  sincere  belief,  were  treated  in  a 
highly  dramatic  and  picturesque  style.  Appreciation 
of  t lie  charm  of  genre  types  and  scenes  is  shown  in  the 
attractive  terra-cottas  of  Tanagra  (pp.  107  and  1 08 ). 

VI.  Graeco-Roman  Art,  100  B.  C._ 200  A.  D.  The 
strongly  realistic  style  of  Hellenistic  portraiture  was  in 
harmony  with  the  literalism  of  the  Roman  mind,  and 
the  Roman  period  is  marked  by  a  long  series  of  excellent 


INTRODUCTION 


65 


portraits,  not  only  in  large  sculpture  (pp.  Ill  and  120), 
but  on  coins  and  gems.  The  decay  of  original  inspiration 
in  the  arts  is  signalized  by  the  attempt  to  revive  older 
styles,  as  seen  in  the  so-called  archaistic  ”  sculptures 
of  Roman  date,  and  by  the  more  or  less  mechanical 
imitation  which  produced  many  copies  of  famous  statues 
of  the  fifth  and  fourth  centuries.  Most  of  the  extant 
ancient  mosaics  and  wall  paintings  are  of  this  period. 
They  teach  us  something  of  the  technique  of  the  graphic 
arts  of  antiquity,  but  they  do  not  justify  inferences 
regarding  the  quality  of  the  best  classical  pictures. 
The  arts  of  luxury  and  of  personal  adornment,  encour¬ 
aged  by  the  society  of  Imperial  Rome,  are  illustrated 
in  some  unusually  fine  cameos  (p.  119)  which  have  come 
to  this  Museum  from  two  famous  European  collections. 

The  following  books  are  recommended  as  interesting  intro¬ 
ductions  to  a  knowledge  and  appreciation  of  Greek  Art: 
P.  Gardner,  Principles  of  Greek  Art ;  F.  B.  Tarbell.  A  History 
of  Greek  Art;  E.  Gardner,  Handbook  of  Greek  Sculpture; 
Fowler  and  Wheeler,  Handbook  of  Greek  Archaeology.  Sup¬ 
plementary  information  on  Greek  history,  religion,  and  private 
antiquities  is  given  in  convenient  form  by  L.  Whibley  (ed.), 
Companion  to  Greek  Studies.  These  books,  and  many  detailed 
studies  of  the  several  departments  of  ancient  art,  as  well  as 
books  of  reference  and  important  periodicals  devoted  to  clas¬ 
sical  art  and  archaeology,  are  to  be  found  in  the  Library  of 
the  Museum.  '  A  large  collection  of  photographs  of  classical 
sculpture,  including  the  Brunn-Bruckmann  series,  is  also  in 
the  Library.  The  Museum  publishes  a  special  catalogue  of 
its  collection  of  casts  of  Greek  and  Roman  sculpture. 


66 


CLASSICAL  ART 


Cybele  Marble ,  about  300  B.  C. 

This  colossal  statue  is  probably  to  be  identified  as  Cybele> 
the  Mother  of  the  Gods.  Traces  of  the  throne  or  seat, 
which  was  not  made  in  one  piece  with  the  statue  itself,  are 
seen  beneath  the  left  arm.  The  folds  of  the  drapery  are 
arranged  in  a  harmonious  composition  which  is  not  lost  in 
elaboration  of  detail. 


ARCHAIC  ROOM 


67 


Statuette  of  the  Cretan  Snake  Goddess 
Ivory  and  Gold;  Sixteenth  Century  B.C. 

Example?  of  sculpture  on  a  large  scale  are  hardly  to 
be  found  among  the  relics  of  Minoan  art,  but  frescoes, 
statuettes,  and  small  reliefs  show  that  the  Cretan  artists 
could  impart  to  their  representations  of  the  human  form 
the  same  vigorous  life  which  pervades  their  decorative 
designs.  In  this  statuette  the  proud  pose,  the  keen 
expression  of  the  face,  and  the  set  of  the  tense,  sinewy, 
yet  graceful  arm  compel  admiration  no  less  than  the 
technical  skill  with  which  the  gold  trimmings  were 
applied  to  the  elaborate  Minoan  dress. 


68 


CLASSICAL  ART 


This  figure  was  doubtless  conceived  as  the  guardian 
of  the  tomb  over  which  it  was  erected  as  a  monument. 
The  combination  of  the  front  view  of  the  head  with  the 
side  view  of  the  body  and  the  symmetrical  arrange¬ 
ment  of  the  locks  of  the  mane  are  characteristic  of  the 
archaic  style  which  sought  striking  decorative  compo¬ 
sition  rather  than  natural  representation.  It  may  be 
supposed  that  the  sculptor  knew  lions  only  as  they 
were  depicted  in  Oriental  art. 


IAon 


Limestone ,  Sixth  Century  B.  C. 


ARCHAIC  ROOM 


69 


Girl’s  Head  Limestone »  Sixth  Century  B.  C. 

Among  the  most  interesting  and  popular  of  archaic 
statues  are  the  “Maidens,”  found  on  the  Acropolis  of 
Athens  thirty  years  ago.  The  head  from  Sicy on ,  pictured 
above,  has  something  of  their  delicacy  and  charm,  although 
they  are  of  Parian  marble  and  this  fragment  is  of  a  coarse¬ 
grained  limestone.  The  tapering  face,  the  crescent  smile, 
and  the  slanting,  narrowed  eyes,  are  characteristic  of  a 
time  when  Ionian  ideas  controlled  the  artistic  expression 
of  Greece.  In  this  instance  the  conventional  rendering  of 
the  hair  is  unusually  attractive. 


70 


CLASSICAL  ART 


Statue  of  a  Man  Limestone,  Sixth  Century  B.C. 

This  figure  is  a  variant  from  the  ‘Apollo  type”  preva¬ 
lent  in  the  archaic  period.  The  left  leg  was  probably 
advanced,  and  the  left  arm  is  held  down  stiffly  at  the  side, 
but  the  right  arm  was  slightly  bent  and  may  have  held 
some  attribute.  The  chief  interest  of  the  work,  however, 
is  in  the  very  characteristic  rendering  of  the  head.  The 
carving  of  the  mouth  and  of  the  cheeks,  fringed  by  the 
short  beard,  gives  the  face  an  air  of  individuality  almost 
suggestive  of  portraiture. 


ARCHAIC  ROOM 


7 1 


The  gravestone,  figured 
opposite,  was  found  in  the 
Troad.  Such  slender  stone 
slabs,  often  decorated  with 
painting-  or  low  relief  and 
crowned  with  delicate  or¬ 
nament,  were  the  usual 
type  of  grave  monument 
toward  the  end  of  the  sixth 
century. 


Gravestone  Sixth  Century  B.  C. 


Artemis 

Sixth  Century  B.  C. 


The  small  bronzes  form  an  inter¬ 
esting  supplement  to  the  marbles 
possessed  by  the  Museum,  in  illus¬ 
trating  the  development  of  plastic 
art  m  Greece. 

An  inscription  engraved  on  the 
figure  here  shown  tells  that  a  cer¬ 
tain  Chimaridas  of  Elis  offered  it 
to  Artemis  Daedalia.  The  Doric 
dress  is  drawn  smoothly  around 
the  figure  in  front  in  a  way  which 
recalls  the  form  of  archaic  cult 
images ;  the  statuette  is  probably 
an  imitation  of  some  earlier  statue 
of  the  goddess.  It  has  the  simple 
dignity  of  the  careful  religious  art 
of  the  sixth  century  B.  C. 


7  2 


CLASSICAL  ART 


Athlete 

Sixth  Century  B.  C. 

form  has  been  shaped  to  suggest 
energy  and  agile  motion. 


This  bronze  statuette  of  an  athlete, 
found  at  Olympia,  recalls  the  influ¬ 
ence  which  the  athletic  games  of  early 
Greece  exerted  on  the  art  of  sculpture. 
Athletic  victories  called  for  commem¬ 
oration  in  sculptural  monuments,  and 
the  artist  had  full  liberty  to  produce 
a  representation  of  the  entire  human 
figure,  a  liberty  which  was  not  allowed 
in  Oriental  art.  Moreover,  games 
and  athletic  practice  gave  him  many 
opportunities  to  develop  his  ideal  of 
manhood.  It  has  been  conjectured 
that  this  figure  is  a  runner.  Like 
most  archaic  statues  of  athletes,  he 
stands  erect,  facing  straight  ahead, 
with  both 


feet  planted 
firmly;  but  his 


In  the  Peloponnesus  Hermes  was 
worshipped  as  the  protector  of  the 
flocks.  The  statuette  shown  here 
represents  the  god  with  a  young  ram 
under  one  arm.  He  wears  a  neatly 
fitting  chiton,  a  round  hat,  and  heavy 
boots.  He  carried  in  his  right  hand 
the  symbol  of  his  office  as  herald. 
The  statuette  is  distinguished  by 
vigorous  modelling  expressive  of 
sturdy  physique,  by  finish  of  detail, 
and  by  the  naive  animation  of  the 
face. 


Hermes 

Sixth  Century  B.  C 


ARCHAIC  ROOM 


73 


The  luxury  and  the  fastidious  taste  of  the  Ionian  Greeks 
are  reflected  in  this  representation  of  Aphrodite.  She  lifts 
her  carefully  arranged  himation  with  one  hand.  The 
hovering  Erotes  (Cupids)  direct  attention  to  the  face  of  the 
goddess.  They  are  so  placed  that  the  support  of  the 
mirror  appears  to  be  gradually  broadened  at  the  top  in 
order  to  carry  the  weight  easily. 


Mirror  Stand 


About  500  B.  C. 


74 


CLASSICAL  ART 


Amphora,  Geometric  Style  About  800  B.  C. 

The  extinction  of  the  Mycenaean  civilization  and  the  be¬ 
ginnings  of  the  classical  Greek  are  marked  by  the  rise  of  a 
pottery  elaborately  decorated  with  geometrical  designs. 
The  primitive  drawings  of  horses  and  men  which  often 
found  a  place  among  these  are  illustrated  by  this  colossal 
vase  from  Athens.  (Compare  p.  123.) 


ARCHAIC  ROOM 


75 


Greek  art  of  the  eighth  and  seventh  centuries  is  almost 
wholly  imitative  of  the  foreign  models  brought  to  Greece  by 
trade  with  Oriental  peoples.  The  oinochoe,  or  wine-jug, 
pictured  here  is  an  example  of  the  pottery  made  on  the 
island  of  Rhodes  at  this  period.  The  lowest  of  the  three 
zones  of  decoration  has  a  lotus  pattern  derived  from  Egyp¬ 
tian  art;  the  second  shows  the  pursuit  of  wild  goats  by  a 
dog,  a  scene  probably  borrowed  from  the  Phoenicians; 
above  are  represented  animals  and  monsters  of  Oriental 
imagination.  The  figures  are  painted  in  black  on  a  ground 
of  buff  color ;  purple  is  also  freely  used  in  the  accentuation 
of  some  forms ;  the  heads  are  drawn  in  outline- 


Oinochoe 


Seventh  Century  B.  C. 


76 


CLASSICAL  ART 


Kylix,  Story  of  Circe  Sixth  Century  B.  C. 


ARCHAIC  ROOM 


71 


The  practice  of  paint¬ 
ing  figures  in  dark  color 
on  a  light  ground  was 
continued  by  Greek  pot¬ 
ters  until  about  500 
B.  C.  Corinthian  paint¬ 
ers  were  probably  the 
first  to  indicate  details 
within  the  figures  by 
lines  engraved  through 
the  black  paint.  This 
method  was  further  de¬ 
veloped  by  the  Attic 
vase  painters  of  the  sixth 
century,  whose  vases, 
excelling  others  in 
beauty  of  material  and 
Amphora  by  Amasis  shape,  and  in  interest  of 

Sixth  Century  B.  C.  color  and  design,  drove 
the  painted  pottery  of 
other  cities  from  the  market.  Oriental  decorative  motives 
became  in  their  turn  entirely  subordinate  to  human  inter¬ 
est,  and  scenes  from  heroic  mythology,  warfare,  and  do¬ 
mestic  life  constitute  the  chief  ornamentation  of  the  vase. 

The  illustration  above  pictures  an  amphora  ( a  two- 
handled  jar)  signed  by  Amasis,  who  is  distinguished  among 
painters  of  the  black-figured  style  for  precision  of  work¬ 
manship  and  a  love  of  the  minute  detail  obtained  by  in¬ 
cised  lines. 

On  the  opposite  page  is  shown  a  kylix  (drinking-cup) 
whose  ornament  is  an  unusual  illustration  of  a  famous  story 
in  the  Odyssey.  The  enchantress  Circe,  a  nude  figure,  orig¬ 
inally  colored  white,  stands  near  the  centre  of  the  picture, 
holding  in  her  hand  a  cup  containing  the  magical  potion 
which  has  half  transformed  Odysseus’  companions  into 
beasts.  At  the  left  Odysseus  is  coming  to  the  rescue.  The 
generally  erect  figures,  radiating  from  the  stem  to  the  rim 
of  the  vase,  form  an  etfective  design. 


7  8 


CLASSICAL  ART 


Imitative  modelling  in  terra-cotta 
is  almost  as  old  as  the  shaping  of 
terra-cotta  vases.  Indeed,  primi¬ 
tive  vases,  being  fashioned  freely 
by  hand,  often  take  a  form  rudely 
resembling  the  human  body.  The 
small  terra-cottas  which  were  pro¬ 
duced  in  such  numbers  in  prehis¬ 
toric  Greece  seem  to  have  served  a 
religious  purpose.  They  generally 
represent  female  figures,  and  were 

probably  dedicated  to  a  nature  god-  n 

'  •  |  . .  Wood  Carrier  Resting 

dess.  Many  dedicatory  terra-cottas  ,  ,  • 

,  ‘,’1  .  Archaic 

have  been  round  on  such  sites  as 

that  of  the  famous  temple  of  Hera  at  Argos.  These 
early  images  were  hastily  made  by  hand,  and  often  are 
only  caricatures  of  the  human  form.  From  a  very  early 
period,  Boeotia  was  a  centre  of  the  production  and  use 
of  terra-cottas.  In  the  archaic  period  many  were  made 
in  a  flat  shape  resembling,  it  seems,  board-like  images 
of  wood  which  were  regarded  as  specially  sacred  repre¬ 
sentations  of  deities.  They  are  often  decorated  with 
painted  geometric  patterns.  Some  equally  primitive 
statuettes  of  almost  cylindrical  shape  from  Cyprus  also 
recall  wooden  images,  whose  form,  in  this  instance,  was 
probably  only  a  slight  modification  of  the  tree  trunk. 

In  the  archaic  period  the  art  was  also  applied  to  genre 
subjects.  The  Museum  has  several  interesting  terra¬ 
cotta  figures  of  this  character :  a  barber  at  work,  a  woman 
grating  cheese,  a  wood-carrier  resting  beside  his  bundle 
of  fagots  (see  the  cut  above),  and  other  homely  scenes 
from  the  life  of  ancient  Greece.  There  was  no  lack  of 
terra-cotta  toys :  little  horsemen  on  long-necked  horses, 
carts,  and  even  dolls  with  movable  legs  and  arms. 

In  addition  to  terra-cotta  figurines  shown  in  rooms 
on  the  main  floor,  a  supplementary  exhibition  has  been 
placed  in  the  Terra-cotta  Room  on  the  lower  floor. 


FIFTH  CENTURY  ROOM 


79 


Mounted  Warrior  Marble  Relief,  about  BOO  B.  C. 


This  relief  of  the  late  archaic  period  was,  perhaps,  part 
of  a  monument  commemorating  a  man  of  equestrian 
rank.  The  rider,  fully  armed  with  cuirass,  greaves,  high- 
crested  helmet  and  sword,  sits  firmly  and  guides  the 
spirited  horse  with  steady  hand.  The  motion  of  the  group 
is  signalized  by  the  cloak  blown  backward  in  the  wind. 
The  horse’s  head,  which  has  been  broken  away,  was 
turned  so  that  it  looked  out  from  the  relief ;  this  attitude, 
an  unusually  bold  one  in  archaic  relief,  must  have  added 
much  to  the  animation  of  the  work.  The  treatment  of 
the  drapery  and  the  fine  modelling  of  the  horse’s  body 
suggest  that  the  sculptor  was  influenced  by  contemporary 
Attic  art,  if  not  himself  an  Athenian. 


8o 


CLASSICAL  ART 


Three-sided  Marble  Relief,  Front 


FIFTH  CENTURY  ROOM 


8 1 


This  marble  corresponds  so  closely  in  material,  shape, 
and  style  of  sculpture  with  the  famous  “  Ludovisi 
Throne”  in  Rome,1  that  some  intimate  connection 
between  the  two  must  be  assumed.  The  scene  on  the 
front  of  the  relief  in  Rome  probably  represents  the  birth 
of  Aphrodite;  the  figures  on  the  wings  —  a  nude  cour¬ 
tesan  playing  the  flutes  and  a  matron  placing  incense 
on  a  censer  —  are  best  explained  as  worshippers,  typi¬ 
fying  two  aspects  of  the  cult.  On  the  front  of  the 
relief  in  Boston  a  smiling,  winged  boy  is  represented 
weighing  two  small  figures  of  youths  in  a  pair  of  scales, 
the  beam  of  which  is  now  missing.  Two  seated  women 
are  interested  spectators:  the  one  to  the  right  bows 
her  head  in  grief,  the  other  smiles  and  raises  her  hand 
in  a  gesture  of  pleased  surprise.  The  single  figures  on 
the  sides  are  again  probably  engaged  in  acts  of  worship, 
and  again  strongly  contrasted  :  on  the  right  wing  a  boy 
seated  on  a  cushion  is  playing  a  lyre,  on  the  left  an  old 
woman  with  wrinkled  face  and  short  hair  sits  on  the 
ground  with  her  knees  drawn  up  and  grasps  a  myste¬ 
rious  object  which  has  been  mostly  chiselled  away. 
The  interpretation  of  the  scene  on  the  front  remains  as 
yet  in  doubt;  but  the  central  figure  is  clearly  Eros,  and 
the  subject  represented  is  probably  some  myth  con¬ 
nected  with  Aphrodite, —  perhaps,  as  has  been  sug¬ 
gested,  the  contest  between  Aphrodite  and  Persephone 
for  the  possession  of  the  beautiful  youth,  Adonis. 

The  purpose  for  which  the  two  marbles  were  made 
is  also  unclear.  It  was  formerly  supposed  that  the 
Ludovisi  relief  formed  the  back  and  arms  of  a  colossal 
throne  for  the  seated  statue  of  a  goddess;  but  the  two 
reliefs  are  better  explained  as  parts  of  one  monument, 
perhaps  as  ornaments  set  on  the  two  short  ends  of  a 
long  rectangular  altar.  The  delicately  carved  volutes 

1  Photographs  of  the  monument  in  Rome  are  hung  below  an 
adjoining  window,  and  casts  of  the  two  marbles  may  be  seen 
in  the  East  Cast  Court. 


82 


CLASSICAL  ART 


Three-sided  Relief Wings  About  450  B. 


FIFTH  CENTURY  ROOM 


83 

and  palmettes  at  the  angles  of  the  marble  in  Boston 
were  matched  on  its  companion-piece  by  similar 
ornaments,  made  separately  and  now  lost. 

The  sculptures  are  among  the  most  beautiful  and 
interesting  of  the  transitional  ”  period  of  Greek  art. 
The  artist  has  not  yet  fully  mastered  the  problem  of 
translating  the  figures  into  relief.  The  upper  parts  of 
the  bodies  of  the  two  goddesses  are  in  full  front  view, 
while  their  legs  are  in  profile.  Some  folds  of  the  gar¬ 
ments  are  rendered  in  the  archaic  manner,  while  others 
show  the  careful  study  of  actual,  accidental  folds  of 
cloth.  The  strong  influence  of  painting  is  apparent 
throughout,  and  the  artist  evidently  depended  upon 
the  application  of  colors  to  the  marble  to  bring  out 
details  such  as  the  lower  edges  of  the  wings  of  Eros 
and  the  outlines  of  the  mantles  and  caps  worn  by  the 
two  goddesses.  The  strings  of  the  lyre,  the  fillet  of 
the  old  woman,  and  the  latchets  of  the  sandals  were 
left  to  be  supplied  entirely  by  paint.  The  soft,  un- 
athletic  treatment  of  the  nude  forms,  the  rich  draperies, 
and  the  style  of  the  architectural  ornaments  suggest 
that  the  reliefs  are  the  products  of  an  Ionian  school  of 
sculpture. 


Marble  Relief  in  Museo  delle  Terme,  Rome 


84 


CLASSICAL  ART 


Artemis  Marble ,  Fifth  Century  B.  C. 

The  goddess  wears  a  fillet  adorned  with  simple  flowers. 
She  is  probably  Artemis,  one  of  whose  special  attributes 
was  a  garland  of  flowers.  The  head  is  strained  forward  a 
little,  with  an  air  of  alertness.  The  finely  arched  brows 
contribute  to  the  vivacity  of  expression  which  probably 
was  most  evident  in  the  eyes.  These  were  of  another 
material  colored  in  imitation  of  nature. 

The  head  has  been  considered  by  some  scholars  an 
original  of  the  first  half  of  the  fifth  century  B.  C.;  others 
regard  it  as  an  imitation  of  work  of  that  date,  made  in 
Roman  times.  It  has,  at  any  rate,  an  animation  and  a 
freshness  of  style  not  often  attained  in  imitative  sculpture, 
which  generally  reproduces  only  the  superficial  charac¬ 
teristics  of  earlier  art  in  rather  stilted  fashion. 


FIFTH  CENTURY  ROOM 


85 


Grave  Monument  Fifth  Century  B.  C. 


The  grave  monuments  of  the  Greeks  were  important  to 
them  as  associated  with  the  rites  demanded  by  natural 
piety  towards  the  dead.  In  the  fifth  and  fourth  centuries 
B.  C.  they  often  took  the  form  illustrated  here  —  that  of  a 
simple  portico  consisting  of  a  gable  supported  by  pilasters 
and  framing  a  relief  which  had  reference  to  the  former 
occupations  of  the  person  in  whose  memory  it  was  erected. 
On  this  stone  is  represented  an  Attic  lady,  wearing  an 
Ionian  chiton  of  delicate  texture  and  a  himation  of  heavier 
material.  She  looks  at  her  image  in  a  hand  mirror  similar 
to  some  of  the  Greek  bronze  mirrors  exhibited  in  the 
Museum.  Like  many  of  the  grave-reliefs,  it  was  carved 
by  a  sculptor  of  imperfect  skill,  but  it  resembles  the  others, 
too,  in  the  simplicity  of  its  motive  and  in  the  dignity  with 
which  the  subject  is  presented. 


86 


CLASSICAL  ART 


This  fragment  is  from  one 
of  several  replicas  of  a  popu¬ 
lar  statue  of  the  fifth  cen¬ 
tury  B.  C.,  representing 
Diomedes  carrying  the  Pal¬ 
ladium  from  Troy.  A  re¬ 
production  of  a  better 
preserved  copy,  now  in 
Munich ,  may  be  seen  among 
the  casts  of  Greek  sculpture. 

The  head  resembles  a  group 
of  sculptures  attributed  to 
Cresilas,  a  Cretan  who  re¬ 
ceived  his  training  in  the 
Athenian  school.  The  square 
jaw,  firm  mouth,  and  level 
brow  portray  a  stout  fighter.  Marble,  Graeco-Roman  Copy 

Of  the  great  sculptors  of 
the  fifth  century  Polyelei- 
tus  of  Argos  was  the  most 
popular  in  Roman  times, 
and  countless  copies  and 
adaptations  of  his  works 
have  survived.  This  head, 
perhaps  from  a  statue  of 
H  ermes,  illustrates  the 
youthful  athletic  type  for 
which  this  sculptor  was 
most  famed.  In  the  defi¬ 
nite  modelling  of  the 
surface  and  the  sharp  ren¬ 
dering  of  details  of  the 
eyes  and  hair  it  repro¬ 
duces,  better  than  most  copies  in  marble,  the  quality 
of  the  bronze  original. 


Head  of  a  Youth 
Marble,  Graeco-Roman  Copy 


FIFTH  CENTURY  ROOM  87 


The  pose  of  the 
figure  illustrated 
here  does  not  show 
a  radical  departure 
from  the  traditions  of 
archaic  art,  yet  it  is 
not  tense  and  rigid 
like  that  of  sixth 
century  statues,  and 
the  freedom  of  the 
attitude  is  empha¬ 
sized  by  the  natural 
though  angular  posi¬ 
tion  of  the  left  arm 
The  outlines  are 
true  and  refined,  and 
though  the  surface 
of  the  body  has  suf¬ 
fered  by  corrosion, 
the  quality  of  its 
modelling  shows  ad¬ 
vanced  understand¬ 
ing  of  the  subject 
and  skill  in  represen¬ 
tation.  The  statu¬ 
ette  is  said  to  have 
been  found  on  the 
site  of  Croton,  a  Young  Athlete  Fifth  Century  B.  C. 

town  in  the  south  of  Italy  which  was  famed  for  the  prowess 
of  its  athletes.  It  may  be  supposed  that  the  artists  of  this 
region  had  every  opportunity  to  study  the  athletic  form,  in 
repose  and  in  action. 


88 


CLASSICAL  ART 


In  this  wine  pitcher  the 
refinement  of  taste  mani¬ 
fested  by  the  shape  attracts 
attention  first,  but  the  orna¬ 
ment  is  also  interesting  as 
exemplifying  the  tendency 
of  Greek  art  to  representa¬ 
tion,  even  in  decorative 
design.  At  the  base  of  the 
handle  is  a  siren,  with 
wings  delicately  rendered 
in  a  form  of  Oriental  origin. 
At  the  upper  juncture  of 
the  handle  with  the  vase  is 
the  bust  of  a  girl  clad  in 
a  Doric  chiton.  A  serpent 


Pitcher  Fifth  Century  B.  C. 


is  represented  on  the  back  of  the  handle. 


The  technical  skill  of 
the  Greek  goldsmiths  is 
shown  in  this  unique 
earring.  The  figures 
are  hollow,  and  the 
jewel  is  of  the  slightest 
weight  consistent  with 
strength.  The  details 
of  the  chariot  are  repre¬ 
sented  with  great  care; 
the  Victory  even  wears 
Earring  Fifth  Century  B.  C.  earrings  and  bracelets. 

Her  garment  is  stirred 
by  the  wind,  and  the  horses  are  prancing,  yet  the  com¬ 
position  is  balanced  and  unified.  The  jewel  is  almost 
intact ;  only  the  colored  enamel  which  filled  the  palmette 
in  front  of  the  hook  is  lost.  It  is  possible  that  the  ear¬ 
ring  belonged  to  a  statue,  perhaps  one  of  the  gold  and 
ivory  statues  of  the  fifth  century  B.  C. 


FIFTH  CENTURY  ROOM 


89 


Kylix  Fifth  Century  B.  C. 

The  painters  found  larger  scope  for  their  skill  in  deco¬ 
rating  vases  when  the  colors  were  reversed,  viz.  when  the 
background  was  filled  with  black  paint  and  the  figures  were 
left  in  the  red  color  of  the  clay.  This  method  allowed  a 
free  drawing  of  details  which  took  the  place  of  the  hard 
incised  lines  of  the  black-figured  style. 

The  development  of  the  new  technique  was  accompanied 
by  an  extension  of  the  range  of  subjects.  Scenes  from  the 
palaestra,  in  which  Athenian  athletes  practised  their  games, 
were  much  favored.  The  picture  here  is  from  the  interior 
of  a  kylix.  It  shows  a  young  athlete  running  with  jumping 
weights  in  his  hands.  The  figure  occupies  the  circular 
space  effectively,  and  is  vigorously  drawn.  In  its  combina¬ 
tion  of  profile  and  front  views  it  marks  a  continuance  of  an 
archaic  mode  of  representation. 


90 


CLASSICAL  ART 


Drawing  from  a  Kantharos 

So  few  vessels  of  silver  and  bronze  have  survived,  in  com¬ 
parison  with  the  many  terra-cotta  vases  which  have  been 
recovered  from  graves  in  Italy  and  Greece,  that  it  is  easy  to 
forget  in  what  measure  the  latter  are  imitations  of  metal  ori¬ 
ginals,  though  their  imitative  character  is  manifested  in  the 
excessively  thin  ware  affected  by  Attic  potters  of  the  best 
period,  in  the  shapes  of  their  vases,  and  in  the  lustrous  paint. 

The  cup  shown  here  is  obviously  modelled  after  a  metal 
kantharos  of  exceptionally  beautiful,  though  simple  form. 
The  tall  handles  are  thin  and  flat,  like  bands  of  metal.  The 
decoration  is  in  a  style  worthy  of  the  shape.  On  one  side  is 

represented  a  nymph  fleeing 
from  a  god,  on  the  other  a 
man  or  god  in  pursuit  of  a 
boy  who  has  been  playing 
with  hoop  and  stick.  The 
principal  lines  of  the  figures 
and  of  the  drapery  express 
impetuous  movement;  the 
finely  crumpled  folds  of  linen 
are  contrasted  with  the 
broader  folds  of  the  woollen 
garment.  The  vigorous  style 
Kantharos  Fifth  Century  B.C.  of  drawing  is  found  on  a 

number  of  vases  signed  by 
Brygos,  and  this  cup,  though  unsigned,  was  certainly 
decorated  by  the  same  master.  (Compare  p.  124.^ 


FIFTH  CENTURY  ROOM 


91 


The  above  picture  is  from  the  interior  of  a  kylix.  It  illus¬ 
trates  an  Attic  legend:  the  story  of  Cephalus,  the  young 
Athenian  hunter  who  was  carried  off  by  the  goddess  Eos, 
the  Dawn.  She  has  grasped  his  arm,  and  he  turns  his  head 
with  a  gesture  of  surprise ;  her  look  is  directed  upwards,  as 
if  already  planning  her  flight  with  him  into  the  sky.  The 
character  of  the  drawing  is  not  like  that  on  most  of  the 
vases  from  the  atelier  of  Hieron,  and  although  signed 
by  him,  the  vase  was  apparently  decorated  by  an  un¬ 
usually  skillful  and  original  painter  in  his  employ  who 
did  not  neglect  abstract  beauty  of  line,  but  subordinated 
it  to  expression  of  motion  and  of  individuality. 


Fifth  Century  B.  C. 


Kylix  signed  by  Huron 


92 


CLASSICAL  ART 


The  drawing  illustrated  on  this 
page  is  from  an  oil-jug  which  be¬ 
longs  to  a  later  stage  of  the  red- 
figured  period.  The  subject  is  an 
Athenian  myth,  the  contest  of 
Theseus  with  the  Amazons.  It 
will  be  noted  that  the  figures  do 
not  all  stand  on  the  same  level 
here;  there  is  an  indication  of 
rough  ground.  The  artists  have 
solved  certain  problems  of  repre¬ 
sentation  which  long  baffled  the 
older  painters:  the  rendering  of 
the  eye  in  profile,  for  instance. 

There  is  less  of  angularity  in  the 
composition  than  in  the  work  of 
earlier  painters,  yet  energy  is  not  sacrificed  to  grace,  and 
the  drawing  is  still  firm  and  vigorous.  This  style  of  deco¬ 
ration  was  perhaps  specially  influenced  by  the  frescoes  of 
Polygnotus  and  his  contemporaries. 


Lekythos 

Fifth  Century  B.  C. 


Drawing  from  a  Lekythos 


FIFTH  CENTURY  ROOM 


93 


Pyxis,  Odysseus  and  Nausicaa  Fifth  Century  B.  C. 

This  picture,  from  the  cover  of  a  small  round  box,  illus¬ 
trates  a  story  in  the  Odyssey  —  the  meeting  of  Odysseus 
and  Nausicaa.  Odysseus,  awakened  by  the  cries  of  the 
Phaeacian  princess  and  her  maidens,  who  are  at  play  by 
the  seashore,  comes  cautiously  from  the  thicket  where  he 
has  slept.  Athena,  his  patron  goddess,  leads  the  way.  Two 
of  the  maids  are  running  away  in  fright;  one  is  busy  with 
the  washing  of  a  garment  and  does  not  see.  The  princess 
herself  stands  erect,  calmly  waiting  the  approach  of  the 
stranger.  The  variety  and  truth  of  characterization  are 
remarkable  in  so  unpretentious  a  picture. 


94 


classical  art 


Engraved  Gems 


Intaglio  seals  present  a  tradition  of  unbroken  con¬ 
tinuity  from  the  primitive  Cretan  civilization  to  that 
of  classical  Greece  and  Rome.  Impressions  of  seven 
gems  of  the  earlier  periods  are  reproduced  above,  six 
of  them  illustrating  the  stones  most  favored  by  the 
gem  cutters:  sard  (2,  6),  chalcedony  (l,  3),  agate  (?), 
jasper  (l).  The  lively  but  careless  representation  of  a 
cow  suckling  her  calf  on  the  Mycenaean  seal  (l)  is  in 
striking  contrast  to  the  precise  rendering  of  the  griffin 
attacking  a  stag  (3),  a  work  of  the  early  fifth  century, 
still  archaic  in  execution  and  subject.  The  grazing 
stag  (2)  is  done  in  a  more  natural  manner.  An  increas¬ 
ing  fondness  for  the  human  figure  is  illustrated  by  the 
representation  of  Danae  (4),  a  work  refecting  the  spirit 
of  Pheidian  art,  and  by  the  graceful  crouching  figure 
of  a  girl  playing  knuckle-bones  (5)  on  a  gold  ring  of 
about  400  B.  C.  The  characteristics  of  Etruscan  gems, 
pronounced  modelling  of  the  muscles  and  ingenious 
adaptation  of  the  subject  to  the  field,  will  be  recog¬ 
nized  in  the  two  examples  above  (o,  7). 


MARBLE  ROOM 


95 


Head  from,  Chios  Marble,  Fourth  Century  B.  C. 

A  veil  originally  covered  the  top  and  back  of  this  head, 
which  was  made  separately  for  insertion  in  a  draped 
statue.  The  soft,  subtle  modelling  and  the  impression¬ 
istic  treatment  of  some  details  point  to  an  artist  closely 
related  to  Praxiteles,  if  not  to  that  master  himself. 

The  face  is  that  of  a  modest  girl,  the  soul  of  gentleness, 
radiant  with  quiet  pleasure,  diffusing  unconsciously  her 
happiness  and  youth  around  her.” 


96 


CLASSICAL  ART 


Aphrodite  Marble,  Fourth  Century  B.  C. 

The  grain  and  slight  translucency  of  the  marble  are 
here  peculiarly  adapted  to  the  artist's  aim.  The  fine 
oval  shape  of  the  face,  the  quality  of  the  modelling, 
and  the  expressiveness  of  the  features  show  that  this 
head  is  the  work  of  an  Attic  master,  probably  of  the 
School  of  Praxiteles. 


MARBLE  ROOM 


97 


Amazon  in  Battle  Marble,  Fourth  Century  B.  C. 

An  Amazon  on  horseback  and  a  fallen  opponent  con¬ 
stituted  the  group  of  which  the  extant  fragment  is  illus¬ 
trated  on  this  page.  Only  the  forearm  of  the  latter  figure 
is  preserved.  It  was  apparently  raised  to  shield  his  body 
from  the  threatening  spear  of  the  woman-warrior.  The 
battle  of  Theseus  with  the  Amazons  was  a  theme  which 
offered  the  dramatic  contrasts  and  pathetic  situations 
sought  by  sculptors  in  the  later  years  of  the  fifth  century 
and  in  the  fourth  century  B.  C.  The  vitality  imparted  to 
every  detail  of  such  a  composition  bv  the  best  skill  of  the 
time  is  illustrated  in  this  mutilated  marble.  The  spring  of 
the  horse  is  clearly  seen;  the  rendering  of  muscles  shows 
the  excitement  accompanying  the  motion.  The  edge  of  the 
rider’s  garment  is  driven  back  in  wavy  folds ;  the  vigorous 
form  and  fine  outlines  of  the  thigh  and  knee  appear  above 
the  heavy  Thracian  boot. 


98 


CLASSICAL  ART 


Statue  of  a  Boy 

Marble,  Fourth  Century  B,  C. 


The  statue  has  no  attribute  by  which  its  exact  signifi¬ 
cance  and  purpose  can  be  determined.  It  is  an  ideal  statue 
of  a  bov,  sixteen  years  old,  perhaps ;  not  an  athlete,  if  one 
may  judge  from  the  softness  of  the  body  and  the  lack  of 
emphasis  on  structure  and  muscular  development.  The 
easy  grace  of  the  attitude  and  the  fine  poise  of  the  head  re¬ 
call  the  Athenian  youths  on  the  Parthenon  frieze.  Long 
exposure  has  given  the  Pentelic  marble  a  warm  tone  which 
heightens  the  effect  of  vitality  in  the  modelling  of  the  figure. 


MARBLE  ROOM 


99 


Head  of  Homer  Marble ,  Hellenistic 


Artists  of  the  Hellenistic  period  (300-100  B.  C.)  not 
only  portrayed  contemporaries,  but  also  sought  to  embody 
in  marble  or  bronze  their  ideas  of  great  men  of  the  past. 
To  this  effort  we  owe  the  imaginary  portraits  of  Homer, 
one  of  the  best  of  which  is  in  this  Museum.  It  follows  tra¬ 
dition  in  representing  the  poet  as  aged  and  blind.  In  spite 
of  the  unsparing  realism  which  has  shown  the  failing  of 
physical  vigor,  the  intellectual  power  of  the  head  is  un¬ 
mistakable.  The  tone  of  color  which  the  marble  has  taken 
on  is  in  harmony  with  the  subject. 


IOO 


CLASSICAL  ART 


Statuette  of  Heracles  Marble ,  Graeco-Raman  Copy 

The  h  ero  stands  in  the  simple  pose  of  the  athletic 
statues  of  the  middle  of  the  fifth  century.  His  body  is 
powerfully  developed,  and  weariness  is  suggested  by  the 
droop  of  the  head,  but  these  elements  are  not  exagger¬ 
ated,  as  in  later  representations  of  Heracles.  The  origi¬ 
nal,  probably  of  bronze  and  on  the  same  scale,  has  been 
ascribed  to  the  Attic  sculptor,  Myron.  Its  style  has  been 
reproduced  with  unusual  fidelity  by  the  Roman  copyist. 


FOURTH  CENTURY  ROOM 


IOI 


Sirens,  imagined  as  half  bird,  half  woman,  were  especially 
associated  with  death  and  so  were  often  represented  on 
grave  monuments.  The  one  figured  above  is  a  fragment  of 
such  a  monument.  She  is  mourning  for  the  dead;  grief  is 
expressed  in  the  attitude  —  one  hand  clutching  the  hair, 
the  other  laid  on  the  breast  —  and  in  the  face.  The  deeply- 
shadowed  eyes  and  the  contracted  brow  are  speciallv 
characteristic  of  a  period  of  art  which  sought  to  portray 
individual  character  and  even  transitory  feeling. 


Siren 


Marble,  Fourth  Century  B.  C. 


102 


CLASSICAL  ART 


Torso  Marble,  about  300  B.  C. 


The  skill  with  which  the  Greek  sculptor  employed  trans¬ 
parent  and  clinging  drapery  to  emphasize  a  noble  form  is 
illustrated  by  the  fragment  shown  on  this  page.  Its  dig¬ 
nity  and  animation  are  characteristic  of  classical  art  in  its 
worthiest  representations  of  the  gods. 


FOURTH  CENTURY  ROOM  103 


Head  of  a  Youth 
Marble,  Graeco-Roman  Copy 


Scopas  perhaps  contrib¬ 
uted  more  than  any  other 
sculptor  of  the  fourth  cen¬ 
tury  B.  C.  to  that  devel¬ 
opment  of  the  expression 
of  character  and  feeling 
which  marks  the  art  of 
the  period.  This  head  is 
a  copy  of  some  unknown 
work  of  Scopas  or  of  one 
of  his  pupils.  Great  in¬ 
tensity  of  expression  is 
given  by  the  upward  gaze 
of  the  shadowed  eyes;  the 
structure  of  the  head  sug¬ 
gests  physical  strength, 
the  parted  lips  and  full 
throat  a  restless  vitality. 


The  practice  of  modelling 
in  terra-cotta  was  adapted 
to  the  decoration  of  vases ; 
some  were  even  shaped  in 
imitation  of  human  or  ani¬ 
mal  heads.  The  elaborate 
plastic  ornament  of  the 
lekythos  illustrated  here  al¬ 
most  obscures  the  fact  that 
it  is  a  vase.  The  new-born 
Aphrodite  is  springing  from 
an  opening  sea  shell ;  Erotes 
hover  on  either  side,  so  that 
the  group  seems  to  have  an 
upward  movement. 


Plastic  Lekythos 

Fourth  Century  B.  C 


104 


CLASSICAL  ART 


Amphora  Fourth  Century  B.  C. 

A  fine  example  of  the  colossal  vases  made  in  Southern 
Italy  in  the  fourth  century  B.  C.  The  scene  on  the  front 
shows  Achilles,  attended  by  Phoenix,  seated  on  a  couch. 
In  the  foreground  among  overturned  vases  lies  the  headless 
body  of  Thersites,  and  at  a  little  distance  the  head.  The 
use  of  plastic  ornament  and  of  added  white  color  is  char¬ 
acteristic  of  the  later  period  of  vase  painting. 


FOURTH  CENTURY  ROOM 


105 


Circular  mirror-cases  were  often  decorated  with  reliefs 
of  fine  technique,  made  by  hammering  a  thin  plate  of 
bronze  into  an  intaglio  mould.  The  finish  of  detail  possible 
in  such  work  is  evident  in  the  group  of  a  Centaur  and  a 
nymph  pictured  above.  The  composition  is  balanced  and 
ingeniously  planned  to  obscure  the  monstrous  nature  of 
the  Centaur.  The  folds  of  the  lion  skin  tied  about  the 
Centaur’s  shoulders  and  of  the  drapery  of  the  nymph  are 
rendered  with  a  delicacy  and  grace  of  line  appropriate  to 
the  spirit  of  the  theme  and  to  the  decorative  effect  desired 
in  a  design  on  a  mirror-case. 


Mirror  Case 


Fourth  Century  B.  C. 


io6 


CLASSICAL  ART 


Tanagra  Figurines,  about  300  B.  C. 


I  n  the  classical  period  terra-cotta  figurines  were  usually 
shaped  in  moulds  of  the  same  material.  A  number  of 
such  moulds,  found  in  Asia  Minor,  in  Italy,  and  in  Egypt, 
are  shown  in  the  Terra-Cotta  Room  downstairs.  Usually 
a  figure  was  moulded  in  several  parts.  With  a  rela¬ 
tively  small  number  of  moulds  a  great  variety  of  forms 
could  thus  be  produced  through  different  combinations 
of  heads  and  arms  and  wings  with  bodies.  It  is  sur¬ 
prising  that  these  somewhat  mechanical  combinations 
do  not  result  in  more  conspicuous  faults  of  proportion 
and  line.  The  more  careful  artificers  added  details  by 
hand,  giving  an  individuality  of  expression  to  the  face 
which  would  be  impossible  in  mechanical  modelling 
After  baking,  the  flesh,  hair,  eyes,  and  lips  were 
appropriately  colored ;  bright  tones  of  pink  and  blue 
were  often  applied  to  the  dress. 

This  finish  of  detail  characterizes  the  figurines  which 
have  been  discovered  on  the  site  of  the  little  city  of  Tanagra 
in  Boeotia.  Their  date  is  from  about  the  middle  of  the 
fourth  century  B.  C.  to  the  end  of  the  third.  Although 
found  in  cemeteries,  there  is  no  evidence  of  religious  pur¬ 
pose  in  their  manufacture.  They  probably  have  no  other 
significance  than  the  one  most  naturally  attached  to  them : 


FOURTH  CENTURY  ROOM  107 


Tanagra  Figurines,  about  300  B.  C. 


they  are  graceful  representations  of  ladies  and  youths  and 
children  as  they  walked,  talked,  and  played.  The  types  of 
Tanagra  ladies  are  far  the  most  common,  but  have  great 
variety  of  attitude  and  motive.  Their  dress,  usually  con¬ 
sisting  of  a  chiton  reaching  to  the  feet  and  an  ample  hima~ 
tion,  could  be  disposed  in  numberless  pleasing  ways.  They 
suggest  very  vividly  at  least  the  outward  charm  of  Greek 
life,  as  one  might  have  seen  it  in  the  streets  of  Athens. 


Tanagra  Figurines,  about  300  B.  C 


io8 


CLASSICAL  ART 


Portrait  o j  a  Lady  Bronze ,  about  300  B.  C. 


The  conquests  of  Alexander  placed  Macedonian  rulers 
over  the  ancient  kingdoms  of  the  Orient,  and  introduced  in 
Egypt  and  Syria  an  aristocracy  of  Macedonians  and 
Greeks.  The  lady  whose  portrait  is  shown  here  undoubt¬ 
edly  belonged  to  this  class;  found  in  Egypt,  it  is  pos¬ 
sibly  the  portrait  of  Arsinoe  II  (born  about  316  B.  C.). 
It  appears  to  be  considerably  idealized,  yet  the  features 
are  expressive  of  a  distinct  personality:  the  individual 
shape  of  the  nose  and  the  lips  is  noticeable.  The  detailed 
treatment  of  the  hair  io  very  fine,  and  is  in  interesting 
contrast  with  the  more  impressionistic  method  demanded 
by  the  technique  of  marble.  The  eyes  were  of  another 
material  and  were  inserted. 


LATE  GREEK  ROOM 


ICQ 


Found  in  the  valley 
of  the  Rhine,  not  far 
from  Coblenz,  this 
statuette  is  a  relic  of 
the  extension  of 
Roman  imperial  power 
over  western  Germany. 
It  reproduces  a  sculp¬ 
tural  type  of  the  fifth 
century  B.  C.  A  dis¬ 
tinguished  scholar  has 
conjectured  that  it  is  a 
copy  of  the  Athena 
Promachos  of  Pheid- 
ias,  the  colossal  statue 
of  bronze  which  stood 
on  the  Acropolis  of 
Athens.  The  arrange¬ 
ment  of  the  dress  re¬ 
calls  that  of  other 
statues  of  Athena 
which  are  attributed 
to  Pheidias  and  his  as¬ 
sociates.  The  width  of 
the  aegis,  enveloping 
the  body  like  a  cloak, 
is  unusual  in  sculpture. 
The  goddess  held  her 
spear  in  the  left  hand. 


Athena 


Graeco-Roman 


The  attitude  of  the  figure  has 
a  constraint  which  is  probably  to  be  attributed  to  the 
copyist. 


I  10 


CLASSICAL  ART 


Aphrodite  Fourth  Century  B.  C. 


The  artists  of  the  period  to  which  this  figure  is  attributed 
knew  so  well  how  to  please  the  eye  through  qualities  of 
composition  and  general  harmony  of  lines  that  even  their 
less  careful  work  is  valued.  This  statuette  is  considered 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  in  the  collection  of  the  Museum, 
although  its  proportions  are  not  faultless,  and  some  details 
are  neglected.  Perhaps  the  most  important  element  of 
its  attractiveness  is  the  simple  and  unaffected  attitude, 
which  has  repose  and  yet  suggests  the  possibility  of  grace¬ 
ful  motion. 


LATE  GREEK  ROOM 


1 1  I 


The  many  offices 
of  Hermes  are  re¬ 
flected  in  the  vari¬ 
ety  of  forms  under 
which  the  god  is 
repre seated  in 
Greek  art.  The 
archaic  statuette  il¬ 
lustrated  on  page 
72  shows  him  as  a 
god  of  the  flocks. 
The  figure  pictured 
here  has  unfortu¬ 
nately  lost  its  spe¬ 
cial  attributes,  but 
the  left  hand  origi¬ 
nally  carried  the 
wand  of  his  au¬ 
thority  as  herald 
of  Zeus;  in  the 
right  may  have 
been  a  purse,  the 
symbol  of  his  asso¬ 
ciation  with  trade. 
It  will  be  noted 
that  after  the  ar¬ 
chaic  period  he  is 
always  represented 
as  a  youthful  god.  His  function  as  patron  of  athletes 
may  have  led  to  this  transformation  of  the  type.  There 
is  a  reminiscence  of  fifth  century  art  in  the  proportions 
of  the  figure. 


Hermes 


Graeco-Roman 


I  12 


CLASSICAL  ART 


Most  of  the  cylindrical  bronze  boxes  of  the  type  illus¬ 
trated  above  have  been  found  at  Palestrina  (ancient 
Praeneste) ;  but  the  style  of  their  ornamentation  marks 
them  as  objects  of  Etruscan  art.  The  drawings  with  which 
the  cylindrical  surface  and  the  cover  are  adorned  are 
of  the  same  technique  and  style  as  those  on  Etruscan 
mirrors.  The  chain  handles  are  attached  by  rings 
which  are  fastened  to  the  box  without  regard  to  the  en¬ 
graved  design.  On  one  side  of  this  cista  is  shown  a  camp 
scene;  on  the  other  are  Furies  pursuing  a  young  man ;  on 
the  lid,  Dionysus  and  his  attendants.  Three  lions  in  high 
relief  crouch  on  the  feet  which  support  the  cista.  Such 
boxes  often  held  the  small  utensils  of  the  lady’s  toilet  — 
mirrors,  perfumes,  unguents,  and  rouge. 


Etruscan,  Third  Century  B.  C. 


Cista 


LATE  GREEK  ROOM  1 13 


Some  works  in  terra-cotta  were 
apparently  scrupulous  copies  of 
popular  statues.  Such  a  copy 
of  the  famous  “Diadumenos” 
of  Polycleitus  is  known.  The 
figure  shown  here  apparently 
belongs  to  this  class  of  direct 
copies,  although  the  original  has 
not  been  identified.  The  subject 
is  Aphrodite,  but  the  form  and 
motive,  as  often  in  Hellenistic  art, 
are  human.  In  perfection  of  de¬ 
tail  and  harmony  of  proportions 
it  is  at  once  distinguished  from 
the  common  figurines  of  indus¬ 
trial  manufacture.  The  color  of 
the  clay  is  an  indication  that  the 
P  ro  lte  statuette  was  made  in  Smyrna. 

This  figure  of  a  reclining  Heracles,  found  in  Southern 
Italy,  is  also  probably  an  imitation  of  a  work  on  a  larger 
scale  and  in  a  more  valuable  material.  The  hero  has  the 
excessive  muscular  development  which  Hellenistic  sculptors 
attributed  to 
him,  yet  even 
in  this  imita¬ 
tive  work  the 
head  is  char¬ 
acterized  by 
marks  of  the 
intellectual 
power  which 
controls  and 
directs  the 
physical 
strength. 

Heracles  From  Southern  Italy 


CLASSICAL  ART 


I14 


Statuettes  from  Myrina,  Second,  Century  B.  C. 


The  necropolis  of  Myrina,  a  city  of  Asia  Minor,  not  far 
from  Smyrna,  has  also  yielded  many  terra-cotta  figurines. 
They  belong  for  the  most  part  to  a  somewhat  later  date  than 
do  the  Tanagra  statuettes.  Types  of  Eros  and  Aphrodite 
are  very  common  among  them.  The  figure  at  the  right  on 
this  page,  an  Eros  represented  as  drawing  a  sword,  is  a 
spirited  example  of  the  Myrina  terra-cottas. 

The  figure  at  the  left,  also  from  Myrina,  was  not  made 
in  a  mould,  but  carefully  fashioned  by  hand.  The  subject 
is  again  Eros,  but  he  is  here  a  child,  as  often  in  Hellenistic 
and  Graeco-Rornan  art,  and  almost  universally  in  modern 
pictures  and  sculpture.  The  whimsical  fancy  which  has 
dressed  this  small  god  in  the  lion-skin  of  Heracles  is  equally 
characteristic  of  the  Hellenistic  age.  The  figure  shows  the 
sympathy  with  which  the  late  Greek  artists  studied  and 
represented  the  forms  of  children. 


LATE  GREEK  ROOM 


Engraved  Gems 

The  later  development  of  the  art  of  gem  engraving 
is  illustrated  by  the  examples  shown  above.  The  figure 
of  a  wounded  warrior  on  an  Italiote  gem  should  be 
compared  with  the  treatment  of  the  same  subject  on 
an  archaic  Etruscan  scarab  (see  p.  94).  Along  with  a 
distinct  loss  of  freshness  and  vigor,  the  impression  is 
given  of  a  conscious  striving  for  effect  on  the  part  of 
the  artist.  The  same  suggestion  of  a  studied  pose  de¬ 
tracts  from  the  beauty  of  the  intaglio  of  Hermes  with 
a  lyre,  a  work  of  the  Augustan  Age.  The  scene  on 
the  second  seal  is  Alexandrian  in  spirit;  a  Triton  is 
swimming  in  the  sea,  supporting  a  Nereid  on  his  back, 
while  a  Cupid  and  a  dolphin  sport  in  the  waves  before 
them.  The  excellence  of  the  Romans  in  the  field  of 
portraiture  is  illustrated  by  the  two  intaglio  heads  in 
the  lower  row  and  the  cameo  of  green  turquoise  with 
the  busts  of  Livia  and  the  young  Tiberius. 


CLASSICAL  ART 


I  1 6 


Cameo  Graeco-Roman 

Cameos,  representations  in  relief  cut  in  precious  stones, 
were  highly  prized  by  the  Romans  of  the  Imperial  period. 
For  the  work  illustrated  here,  one  of  the  most  renowned  ex¬ 
amples  of  cameo  engraving,  the  artist  chose  a  sardonyx 
with  a  layer  of  cafe-au-lait  tinge  above  another  of  black, 
adapting  the  contrast  of  tones  to  a  scene  lit  by  a  torch. 

Erotes,  or  Cupids,  were  often  shown  playing  as  grown-up 
people.  Here  they  are  engaged  at  a  wedding.  A  sturdy 
torch-bearer  leads  Eros  and  Psyche  by  a  fillet.  Eros  clasps 
a  dove  in  his  hands.  Psyche,  clad  in  a  long  robe,  with 
butterfly  wings,  walks  close  by  his  side;  both  are  veiled. 
To  the  left  an  Eros  holds  a  basket  of  fruit  over  their  heads; 
to  the  right  another  stands  near  the  couch. 

The  group  is  so  naturally  composed  and  so  animated  that 
one  almost  forgets  the  subtlety  of  the  technique  which  has 
given  the  idea  complete  and  delicate  expression  under  the 
difficult  conditions  presented  by  the  material  and  the  size  of 
the  gem.  The  cameo  is  signed  by  the  artist,  Tryphon.  In 
the  last  century  it  was  in  the  collection  of  the  Duke  of 
Marlborough,  to  which  it  came  from  the  Arundel  collection. 


GRAECO-ROMAN  GALLERY 


The  slender  neck  and  small  head  seem  inconsistent  with 
so  massive  a  frame,  yet  this  fragment  has  an  enduring  at¬ 
tractiveness,  due,  perhaps,  to  the  attitude  of  melancholy 
revery,  unconscious  of  all  observers.  Such  a  mood  is 
appropriate  to  Hermes  as  conductor  of  souls  to  the  world 
of  the  dead. 


Hermes 


Marble,  Graeco-Roman 


1 1 8 


CLASSICAL  ART 


Roman  Portrait  Terra-cotta,  First  Century  B.  C. 


The  head  shown  above  is  unique  as  a  portrait  in  terra¬ 
cotta,  probably  made  with  the  use  of  a  life  mask.  The  face 
is  more  natural  and  animated  than  most  casts  from  life,  and 
the  pose  of  the  head  seems  characteristic  of  the  man.  The 
artist  has  sketched  the  hair  and  has  suggested  the  momen¬ 
tary  glance  of  the  keen  eyes.  Vividness  of  expression  and 
literal  rendering  of  detail  make  the  head  seem  surprisingly 
modern.  The  subject  is  a  Roman  of  the  last  century  of  the 
Republic. 


GRAECO-ROMAN  GALLERY 


Marble  Portrait  Heads 

Augustus,  27  B.C.-14  A.D.  Second  Century  A.D. 

Divine  honors  were  accorded  to  the  emperor  Augustus 
in  the  provinces  of  the  Roman  empire  even  in  his  life¬ 
time,  and  the  demand  for  portraits  of  him  must  have 
been  incessant.  The  head  here  reproduced  shows  him 
as  a  man  of  mature  years.  In  its  marked  but  not 
exaggerated  realism  it  is  in  interesting  contrast  to 
another  head  of  Augustus  exhibited  nearby.  The 
latter  is  an  idealization  rather  than  a  portrait. 

The  subject  of  the  second  portrait  illustrated  above 
is  not  known;  apparently  it  is  a  Roman  lady  of  the 
time  of  the  Antonines,  for  she  wears  her  hair  in  the 
fashion  of  Faustina,  the  wife  of  Antoninus  Pius.  A 
breathing  likeness  of  an  intelligent,  somewhat  master¬ 
ful,  and  above  all,  aristocratic  woman.  Her  eyes  are 
small  and  near  together,  the  nose  is  rather  aquiline, 
the  mouth  expressive,  the  jaw  firm.  The  fine  head  is 
admirably  poised.” 


120 


CLASSICAL  ART 


Portrait  Marble,  Second  Century  A. I). 

This  head  is  sculptured  in  gray  Asiatic  marble  of 
very  fine,  close  grain,  and  has  a  surface  polish  which 
is  quite  unusual  in  ancient  sculpture.  The  mastery  of 
material  which  has  enabled  the  sculptor  to  reproduce 
the  hard  lines  of  the  face  and  the  texture  of  the  skin 
permits  us  to  suppose  that  it  is  a  truthful  portrait,  and 
that  if  more  were  known  of  the  subject  his  experience 
and  character  would  prove  to  be  reflected  in  this  mar¬ 
ble.  Details  of  technique  show  that  it  is  to  be  assigned 
to  the  second  century  A.  D. 


GRAECO-ROMAN  COURT 


I  2  I 


Cast  from  an  Arretine  Mould  Vintage  Scene 

Arretium  in  Etruria  was  the  centre  of  the  manufacture  of 
red  glazed  pottery  with  decoration  in  relief,  whose  motives 
were  probably  copied  from  the  work  of  Hellenistic  silver¬ 
smiths.  Casts  from  terra-cotta  moulds  made  for  the  pro¬ 
duction  of  this  pottery  are  shown  on  this  page. 


Cast  from  an  Arretine  Mould 


Sacrifice 


122 


CLASSICAL  ART 


Painted  Vases 

Few  objects  of  antiquity  are  more  fragile  Tuan  vessels  of 
clay ;  none  are  harder  to  destroy  altogether.  Marbles  suffer 
by  weathering,  and  still  more  by  violence;  bronzes  fall  into 
dust  by  corrosion;  but  terra-cotta  vases,  though  often 
broken  in  many  fragments,  are  not  subject  to  decay,  and 
are  of  too  common  material  to  be  appropriated  to  new  uses. 

A  collection  of  Greek  vases  not  only  illustrates  the  tradi¬ 
tions  and  principles  of  a  minor  art,  but  reflects  the  subjects 
and  in  a  measure  the  style  of  mural  paintings  which  are 
entirely  lost.  They  are  probably  also  to  be  associated 
closely  with  contemporary  work  in  other  lesser  arts,  such 
as  bronze  repousse  relief  and  the  inlaying  of  wood  with 
ivory.  Their  value  to  the  student  of  classical  literature, 
religion,  and  private  antiquities  is  apparent  to  one  who 
considers  the  endless  variety  of  mythological  and  genre 
pictures  which  ornament  the  ware  of  the  classical  age. 

Painted  pottery  was  produced  in  Greece  from  an  early 
date  in  the  prehistoric  period,  and  did  not  fall  into 
disuse  until  the  third  century  B.  C.  The  earliest  pot¬ 
tery  was  moulded  by  hand.  Examples  in  the  case  of 
Cypriote  ware  (Case  1  )  show  its  rude  shapes  and  its 
primitive  linear  decoration,  produced  by  scratching  the 
surface  with  a  pointed  tool.  The  invention  of  the  oven 
and  of  the  potter’s  wheel  made  uniform  color  and  sym¬ 
metrical  shape  possible;  the  substitution  of  painted  or¬ 
nament  for  incised  patterns  led  to  far  greater  freedom 
and  accuracy  of  design.  The  series  of  vases  from  Crete 
(Case  2)  illustrate  the  development  of  the  art  during 
the  second  millennium  B.  C.  ;  the  finely-washed  clay, 
the  graceful  shapes  and  delicate  walls,  and  the  spirited 
designs  of  the  better  specimens  indicate  the  high  stan¬ 
dard  that  was  attained.  The  finest  vases  of  the  later 
part  of  this  period  were  decorated  with  designs  more  or 


VASE  ROOMS  (GROUND  FLOOR) 


123 


less  freely  adapted  from  plant  and  animal  life,  particu¬ 
larly  the  life  of  the  sea;  lilies,  sea  plants,  and  shellfish 
are  common  subjects.  The  Museum  possesses  a  few 
late  Mycenaean  vases  on  which  such  ornaments  are 
painted  in  dark,  lustrous  colors. 

A  fairly  sharp  line  separates  the  ware  just  described 
from  the  earliest  pottery  of  the  classical  period.  Heavier 
shapes  prevail ;  the  ornament  is  mainly  geometrical,  not 
derived  directly  from  nature,  though  crudely-drawn  an¬ 
imals  and  men  are  not  unusual ;  many  of  the  vases  were 
made  to  serve  as  tomb  monuments.  Of  this  geometrical 
ware  one  case  is  shown  (Case  3). 

In  the  eighth  and  seventh  centuries  both  the  shapes 
and  the  ornamentation  of  pottery  are  based  on  Oriental 
models.  On  the  ware  of  Naukratis,  Rhodes,  and 
Corinth  (Cases  4-5),  the  lotus  bud,  the  rosette,  and 
spiral  designs  are  seen,  together  with  rows  of  animals 
both  real  and  fantastic.  The  technical  skill  of  the  potter 
again  rises  nearly  to  the  level  of  the  best  Cretan  ware, 
and  a  lustrous  black  glaze  is  occasionally  secured. 

In  the  sixth  century  Athens  became  the  centre  of  the 
potter’s  art.  The  pure  black  glaze  was  combined  with 
the  rich  red  of  the  pottery  to  produce  splendid  results ; 
the  shapes  were  refined,  the  conventional  decorative 
ornament  was  confined  to  definite  limits,  and  the  inter-, 
est  of  the  vases  was  much  increased  by  the  use  of  scenes 
of  human  interest,  mainly  mythological  in  character. 
In  these  scenes,  some  of  which  were  signed  by  the 
painters,  the  figures  were  drawn  in  black  glaze;  purple 
and  white  were  often  added  to  bring  out  parts  of  the 
figure,  and  details  were  incised  with  a  sharp  instrument. 
Of  these  black-figured  vases  a  few  fine  specimens  are 
placed  upstairs,  but  the  main  series  is  in  Cases  6-7, 
13  “15. 

About  500  B.  C.  the  reversal  of  the  colors  —  that  is, 
the  use  of  black  glaze  for  the  background  and  the  red 
of  the  clay  for  the  figures  —  permitted  the  use  of  fine 


124 


CLASSICAL  ART 


black  lines  instead  of  incised  lines  for  the  details  of  the 
figures.  In  the  first  half  of  the  fifth  century  skillful 
painters  devoted  their  attention  to  work  on  vases,  par¬ 
ticularly  on  kylikes,  many  of  which  were  signed  by 
the  artists.  The  four  most  famous  of  these  —  Euphro- 
nios,  Douris,  Hieron,  Brygos — as  well  as  many  others 
are  represented  by  characteristic  examples  of  their  work 
(Cases  lb-24-,  and  Fifth  Century  Room,  Cases  2,  3,  5). 

In  Cases  11-12  the  black  vases  with  moulded  orna¬ 
ment  (bucchero  ware)  were  pottery  imitations  of  metal 
ware  ornamented  in  relief.  Most  of  these  vases  were 
made  in  Etruria,  but  a  few  small  pieces  from  Greece 
are  exhibited. 

The  white  vases  with  designs  drawn  in  outline  in  Cases 
19  and  22  (lekythoi)  were  perfume  vases,  used  for  the 
most  part  in  connection  with  the  burial  of  the  dead. 
The  freedom  of  the  drawing  and  the  occasional  use  of 
color  lend  them  a  special  interest. 

The  later  development  of  vase  painting  in  Southern 
Italy  is  illustrated  in  Cases  26-28.  Here  the  effort 
was  for  picturesque  results,  and  the  drawing  was  care¬ 
less  and  sometimes  crude.  Occasionally  the  scenes 
represented  and  the  rich  effects  are  attractive  in  spite 
of  the  poor  workmanship. 


COINS 


125 


Coins 

The  highest  achievements  ever  produced  in  die  engraving 
were  the  coins  made  by  the  Greeks  in  the  sixth,  fifth,  and 
fourth  centuries  B.  C.  The  types  on  these  coins  were  the 
badges  of  the  towns  or  authorities  which  issued  them,  attest¬ 
ing  the  weight  and  purity  of  the  metal  as  a  personal  seal 
certifies  the  authenticity  of  a  document.  Their  artistic 
value  is  that  they  reflect  the  incessant  activity  of  the  Greek 
imagination,  which  controlled  even  the  design  of  an  instru¬ 
ment  of  commerce.  The  point  of  view  was  detached  and 
objective ;  symbolism  and  allegory  of  deep  import  were  ex¬ 
cluded.  The  range  of  subjects  was  narrow,  partly  because 
of  the  nature  of  coins,  but  also  because  Greek  public  art  of 
this  period  limited  itself  to  simple  themes  related  to  worship 
or  heroic  myth  and  athletic  contests,  repeating  old  subjects 
rather  than  inventing  new.  It  may  be  remarked  that  even 
in  the  decoration  of  these  small  objects,  which  would  have 
been  well  adapted  to  pure  design  in  low  relief,  the  Greek 
did  not  escape  from  his  dominant  interest  in  the  representa¬ 
tion  of  life.  He  preferred  still  to  engrave  forms  of  men  and 
gods  and  beasts  on  his  coins,  though  they  had  to  be  exe¬ 
cuted  in  high  relief,  which  to  modern  eyes  appears  unprac¬ 
tical  and  undesirable  in  coins. 

Granted  this  limitation  in  choice  of  motives,  the  decora¬ 
tive  skill  of  the  engraver  is  abundantly  illustrated  —  pre¬ 
eminently,  perhaps,  on  such  a  coin  as  that  of  Naxos  (24), 
where  the  artist  represented  a  satyr  with  his  wine-cup, 
seated  on  the  ground,  and  ingeniously  composed  within  a 
circle  which  is  completed  by  means  of  the  inscription.  There 
is  no  loss  of  spontaneity  in  these  difficult  adaptions  of  sub- 


1,  2,  3,  Athens. 

4,  Ichnae,  Macedonia ;  5,  Uncertain,  Asia  Minor ;  6,  Caulonia, 
Italy. 

7,  Thurium,  Italy;  8,  Himera,  Sicily;  9,  Terina,  Italy. 

10.  11,  Agrigentum,  Sicily. 


-  w 

>  yW 

£■  ‘s* 

126  CLASSICAL  ART 


COINS 


127 

ject  to  space ;  only  in  later  designs,  possibly  in  the  delicate 
head  of  Demeter  (14),  made  in  346  B.  C.,  is  there  conscious 
effort  in  the  modelling.  The  coins  exhibit  an  unsurpassed 
skill  in  draughtsmanship  and  representation  in  relief.  The 
creations  of  the  earliest  art  are  readily  distinguished  by 
their  linear  quality  from  those  of  later  date,  where  the  artist 
is  more  occupied  with  surfaces  than  with  sharp  edges.  A 
comparison  of  the  head  of  Athena  of  the  sixth  century  (1) 
with  the  same  subject  issued  fifty  years  later  (3),  or  the 
cattle  of  Ichnae  (4)  with  the  bull  of  Thurium  (7),  or  of  the 
Heracles  of  Thebes  (13)  with  the  Hermes  of  Cyzieus  (18), 
illustrates  this  fact.  We  are  attracted  by  the  drawing  in 
the  archaic  coins;  by  the  modelling  in  those  of  developed 
style. 

In  a  long  series  of  objects  of  restricted  size  the  observer 
becomes  conscious  of  the  limitations  imposed  by  their 
minuteness,  but  the  Greek  breadth  of  conception  and 
power  to  suggest  the  great  by  the  little  bursts  through  these 
bounds.  The  happy  strength  of  the  Greek  artist  to  omit 
the  accidental  without  becoming  tedious,  and  record  the 
essential  while  preserving  the  human  and  vita!,  finds  lumi¬ 
nous  illustration  in  this  field.  The  sense  of  scale  does  not 
forbid  us  to  see  a  statue  in  the  archaic  Apollo ( ?)  of  Cau- 
lonia  (6),  or  in  the  Nymph  at  Himera  (8),  or  the  seated 
Victory  of  Terms.  (9).  The  Heracles  of  Croton  (22)  might 
adorn  a  pediment  of  the  Parthenon,  and  the  Hermes  of 
Pheneus  (20)  be  influenced  by  a  work  of  Praxiteles.  The 
unrivalled  head  of  Hera  on  the  coin  of  Pandosia  (28)  re¬ 
produces,  probably,  the  head  of  a  statue. 

Treatment  of  the  same  subject  varies  to  a  considerable 
extent.  The  Apollo  at  Chaleidice  (21)  resembles  that  at 
Rhegium  (29) ;  but  these  differ  from  his  feminine  appear- 


12,  Archelaus  I.;  13,  Thebes,  Greece;  14,  Delphi,  Greece. 

15,  Alexander  the  Great. ;  16,  King  Lysimachus. 

17,  Amphipolis,  Greece;  18,  Cyzieus,  Asia  Minor;  19,  Rhodes. 
20,  Pheneus,  Greece;  21,  Chaleidice,  Greece. 


128 


CLASSICAL  ART 


COINS 


129 


slice  at  Amphipolis  (17)  and  the  virile  sentiment  in  his  head 
as  sun  god  at  Rhodes  (19).  Again,  the  literal  representa¬ 
tion  of  the  eagle  (5)  is  a  conception  distinct  in  aim  from  the 
picturesque  rendering  at  Agrigentum  (10,  11),  and  from  the 
more  plastic  presentation  of  the  bird  in  its  struggle  with  a 
serpent  (31).  Another  instance  of  variation  of  subject  is 
afforded  in  the  Theban  and  Cyzicene  kneeling  figures 
(13  and  18),  where  the  slight  difference  of  treatment  of  a 
pose  already  familiar  to  us  in  the  Aegina  pediments,  serves 
to  distinguish  Heracles  from  Hermes. 

Direct  portraiture  comes  late  in  the  period.  Features  of 
individuals  may  appear  in  the  guise  of  a  divinity  in  the  mag¬ 
nificent  head  on  the  coin  of  Archelaus  (12),  at  the  end  of 
the  fifth  century,  or  in  the  somewhat  earlier  representation 
of  Heracles  at  C&marina  (30) ;  the  features  of  Alexander 
the  Great  may  be  suggested  on  his  coins  (15),  but  they  are 
not  certainly  shown  until  his  successor,  Lvsimachus 
(323  B.  C.},  placed  them  on  his  issues  (16),  though  still 
with  the  attributes  of  a  god.  This  is  one  of  the  earliest 
certain  instances  of  the  portrait  of  an  individual  head. 

Ancient  coins  were  not  chased  or  cast,  but  struck  by 
hand.  The  difficulty  of  the  process,  when  modern  mechan¬ 
ical  appliances  were  unknown,  accounts  in  part  for  the 
irregularity  of  their  shape;  but  it  may  be  also  supposed 
that  this  irregularity  was  long  perpetuated  in  reminiscence 
of  the  rough  forms  of  ingots  which  passed  as  currency  be¬ 
fore  coins  were  stamped.  Such  a  conjecture  is  made  plausi¬ 
ble  by  the  conspicuous  lack  of  symmetry  in  the  eiectrum 
coins  of  Asia  Minor,  which  were  made  nearest  to  the  place 
of  the  invention  of  coinage. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  coins  were  produced,  not 
primarily  as  objects  of  art,  but  by  the  thousand  as  instru- 


22,  Croton,  Italy;  23,  Syracuse,  Sicily;  24,  Naxos,  Sicily. 

25,  26,  Syracuse,  Sicily. 

27,  Syracuse,  Sicily;  28,  Pandosia,  Italy;  29,  Rhegium,  Italy. 
30,  Camarina,  Sicily;  31,  Elis,  Greece. 


130 


CLASSICAL  ART 


COINS 


I  7  l 

ments  of  trade;  we  may  readily  forgive,  therefore,  super¬ 
ficial  imperfections.  No  objects  of  Greek  art  better  illus¬ 
trate  the  diffusion  of  Greek  genius  than  the  coins,  which 
were  issued  not  only  by  the  great  cities,  but  by  many  small 
towns  throughout  the  Greek  world,  from  the  coasts  of  Asia 
and  Thrace  to  Italy.  We  cannot  judge  of  the  motives  which 
inspired  their  makers  at  a  time  when  imagination  was  far 
more  free  than  to-day,  and  the  power  of  expression  readier; 
but  it  is  hard  to  consider  the  stream  of  superb  coins  which 
poured  from  the  mints  of  Sicily  and  Italy  during  the  second 
half  of  the  fifth  century  (for  instance,  7-11  and  22-30) 
without  the  conviction  that  civic  pride  induced  general 
rivalry  and  stimulated  artists  to  supreme  effort.  The 
climax  was  reached  in  the  work  of  the  artists  Cimon  and 
Evaenetus.  Cimon’s  facing  head  of  the  goddess  Arethusa, 
with  dolphin-,  gambolling  among  her  streaming  tresses 
(23),  and  the  barley-crowned  head  of  Persephone  by 
Evaenetus  (25)  were  accepted  as  standards  in  antiquity, 
and  the  Persephone  has  influenced  many  modem  coins. 

Note.  A  guide  to  the  Catharine  Page  Perkins  Collection 
of  Greek  and  Roman  Coins  has  been  published  by  the  Museum 
and  may  be  consulted  in  the  Library.  A  Catalogue  of  the 
Green well-Warren  Collection,  purchased  from  the  Pierce  Fund 
in  1904,  has  also  been  published:  Reglimg,  Die  griechischen 
Miinzen  der  Sammlung  Warren,  Berlin ,  1906. 


PICTURES 

FINDING  LIST 


Page 

Gallery 

142,  143,  145 

II 

146 

III 

147 

VII 

148,  149 

IV 

150 

.Picture  Reserve  (Ground  Floor) 

151 

IV 

153 

III 

155-159 

IV 

160 

III 

161,  162 

IV 

163 

X 

165-169 

IV 

171 

III 

172-174 

IV 

175 

.  .  .  Eighteenth  Century 

176 

V 

178-180 

VIII 

181 

XII 

182 

VIII 

183 

XI 

184-186 

VIII 

187 

.....  X 

188-191 

V 

192 

.  .  Water-Color  (Ground  Floor) 

193-199 

VI 

200 

X 

201 

Hunt  Gallery  (elevator  from  Entrance) 

202-207 

X 

ROBERT  DAWSON  EVANS 
GALLERIES  EOR  PAINTINGS 


Ground  Floor 


Pa  indicates  the  office  of  the  Department 


WESTERN  ART  TO  THE  END  OF  THE 
RENAISSANCE,  1600 


BY  the  second  century  A.  D.  there  were  Christians  in 
nearly  all  parts  of  the  Roman  Empire.  As  far  as  the 
new  religion  found  expression  in  art,  it  made  use  of 
simple  symbols  and  symbolic  pictures  executed  in  the 
Roman  manner.  This  use  of  symbols  was  in  accord 
with  the  intellectual  tendency  of  the  time. 

The  first  monumental  Christian  art  was  produced  after 
the  recognition  of  Christianity  by  the  state  in  327,  under 
the  Emperor  Constantine.  The  old  basilicas  of  St.  Peter 
and  St.  Paul  and  others  were  then  built  outside  the  walls 
of  Rome  over  the  burial  places  of  the  early  saints  and  mar¬ 
tyrs.  The  materials  were  often  taken  from  Roman  temples, 
but  new  works  of  Christian  art,  glass  mosaics  in  glowing 
color,  decorated  the  interior  walls.  On  these  mosaics  and 
on  the  contemporary  sarcophagi  and  miniatures  appeared 
direct  representation  of  Old  and  New  Testament  scenes 
in  addition  to  the  symbols  of  the  early  Christians.  The 
literary  imagery  of  the  Jewish  writers  was  translated  into 
pictorial  and  plastic  forms  by  a  people  who  had  long  been 
familiar  with  such  expression. 

Christian  churches  rose  in  many  parts  of  the  Empire ;  in 
Rome,  in  Syria,  and  in  Constantinople,  the  new  capital 
founded  by  Constantine  in  330  on  the  site  of  the  Greek 
colony  of  Byzantium.  At  Constantinople  the  later  art  of 
Rome  was  again  brought  into  contact  with  Greek  tradition, 
and,  influenced  by  Syria  and  Persia,  it  culminated  in  the 
magnificently  decorated  church  of  Hagia  Sophia  built  in 
the  sixth  century.  This  church  is  now  a  Turkish  mosque. 


136 


PICTURES 


During  the  centuries  that  followed,  while  the  nations  of 
Western  Europe  were  still  in  the  making,  there  existed 
brilliant  civilizations  in  the  Levant  and  at  Constantinople. 
The  most  important  period  of  Byzantine  art  extends  from 
the  middle  of  the  ninth  century  to  the  middle  of  the  eleventh. 
Many  ivory  carvings,  objects  in  gold  and  silver,  bronzes  and 
textiles,  in  the  beautiful  workmanship  of  this  time,  reached 
Western  Europe  through  Southern  Italy  and  Venice.  The 
Byzantine  influence  in  the  art  of  the  Russian  people  dates 
from  their  conversion  to  Christianity,  about  the  year  1000. 

Under  the  inspiration  of  the  new  religion  of  Islam,  the 
Arabs,  in  the  seventh  century,  conquered  Syria  and  Egypt 
and  Northern  Africa  and  Southern  Spain.  The  cities  of 
Bagdad,  Damascus,  and  Cairo  became  centres  of  a  new 
civilization,  vividly  portrayed  in  the  “Arabian  Nights.”  The 
religion  of  the  Arabs  forbade  them  to  represent  the  human 
form;  their  efforts  centred  in  design  and  color.  The 
achievements  of  later  Islamic  art  include  the  Alhambra  at 
Granada  (about  1300),  the  mosques  of  Constantinople 
(after  1453),  the  buildings,  ceramics  (see  pp.  215-218), 
and  textiles  (see  pp.  230-23(3 )  of  Persia  and  Asia  Minor, 
and  some  of  the  finest  architectural  monuments  of  Central 
Asia  and  India. 

Western  Europe  in  the  early  Middle  Ages  found  artistic 
expression  in  the  churches  of  the  Romanesque  type.  Their 
somewhat  heavy  exteriors  and  round-arched  windows, 
arcades,  and  vaults  unite  Byzantine,  Roman,  and  Northern 
elements.  They  are  found  on  both  sides  of  the  Alps  with 
many  local  variations  and  often  with  a  profusion  of  sculp¬ 
tured  ornament.  The  best  belong  to  the  eleventh  century. 

The  problem  of  the  stone  vault,  only  partially  solved 
during  the  Romanesque  period,  made  great  progress  in  the 
twelfth  century  with  the  general  application  of  the  pointed 
arch.  The  Gothic  cathedrals  which  then  arose  were,  like 
the  Romanesque,  shrines  of  the  Christian  religion  and  the 
expression  of  the  ideals  of  a  great  religious  age,  but  they 
grew  up  among  peoples  in  Northern  Europe  whose  tempera* 


INTRODUCTION 


137 


meiit  and  art  were  also  the  product  of  the  realities 
about  them.  The  result  is  an  art  in  which  the  Roman 
element  for  the  time  being  is  almost  entirely  eliminated. 

The  great  height  and  slenderness  of  the  supports  of  the 
Gothic  cathedral  were  made  possible  by  outside  buttresses, 
while  the  concentration  of  the  weight  of  the  building  on 
separate  piers  and  columns  permitted  huge  open  spaces  in 
the  walls.  These  were  filled  with  glass,  jewel-like  in  its 
radiant  color,  framed  in  beautiful  stone  tracery.  Skilled 
carvers  in  wood  and  stone  decorated  pinnacles,  capitals, 
choirs,  and  doorways  with  ornament  derived  from  local 
plants  and  from  the  structural  forms  of  the  building  itself, 
and  with  little  mechanical  repetition.  Grotesque  monsters 
formed  the  gargoyles  or  waterspouts,  and  the  draped  human 
figure  carved  in  stone  served  both  for  ornament  and  for  in¬ 
struction.  In  France  almost  the  whole  body  of  science, 
nature,  history,  and  religion,  according  to  the  mediaeval 
divisions,  was  represented  in  stone  pictures  upon  the 
cathedral. 

In  the  thirteenth  and  fourteenth  centuries  Gothic  art  was 
perfected  and  spread  over  Western  Europe.  In  the  Fran¬ 
ciscan  and  Dominican  churches  and  the  civic  cathedrals  of 
Italy  it  often  became  an  ornamental  addition  to  the  different 
local  Romanesque  styles. 

During  the  thirteenth  century  the  cities  along  the  Euro¬ 
pean  routes  of  trade  rapidly  increased  in  importance,  espe¬ 
cially  the  fortunately  located  cities  of  Italy.  In  Tuscany, 
Pisa  developed  earliest.  Already  in  the  eleventh  and 
twelfth  centuries  its  white  marble  cathedral  had  become  a 
model  for  its  neighbors.  In  T280  Niccolo  Pisano  carved 
his  pulpit  reliefs,  drawing  some  of  his  motives  from  antique 
remains.  The  works  of  his  successors  show  strong  Gothic 
influence  (see  p.  246).  The  city  of  Siena  next  rose  to  im¬ 
portance.  Its  school  of  painting,  although  founded  on 
Byzantine  works,  early  showed  a  growing  freedom  from 
tradition  and  it  possessed  a  decorative  charm  wholly  its 
own  (see  the  altar-piece  by  Bartolo  di  Fredi  in  the 
Picture  Galleries). 


138 


PICTURES 


Florence,  which  gained  real  importance  for  the  first  time 
in  the  thirteenth  century,  began,  shortly  before  1300,  the 
group  of  Gothic  buildings  which  are  the  present  landmarks 
of  the  city.  Contemporary  with  Dante,  Giotto  di  Bondone, 
the  first  of  the  long  line  of  master  painters  of  Italy,  pro¬ 
duced  his  dramatic  story-telling  cycles  of  frescoes  at  Assisi, 
Padua,  and  Florence,  including  those  portraying  the  life  of 
St.  Francis.  After  Giotto’s  time  mural  fresco  painting 
occupied  a  leading  place  in  the  art  of  Italy. 

In  the  early  fifteenth  century  a  German  school  of  painting 
developed  in  Cologne  (see  p.  150),  and  the  first  master¬ 
pieces  of  Flemish  painting,  the  work  of  Hubert  and  Jan 
Van  Eyck,  appeared  (after  1432).  The  Flemish  painters 
began  the  successful  use  of  oil  as  a  medium,  and  their 
influence  on  contemporary  Italian  painting,  though  not 
yet  clearly  defined,  must  have  been  important.  Besides 
this  development  of  painting  (see  p.  142),  the  fifteenth 
century  and  the  next  witnessed  beautiful  developments 
of  late  Gothic  architecture  in  Flanders.  About  the 
year  1.500  tapestry  weaving  reached  its  height  (see  pp. 
237-241 ). 

The  vigor  of  Italian  life  and  intellect  produced  at  this 
time  a  great  burst  of  creative  art.  The  direction  of  its  ex¬ 
pression  was  determined  to  a  great  extent  by  the  newly 
awakened  interest  in  the  literature  of  Greece  and  Rome, 
much  of  which  had  been  unknown  to  the  Middle  Ages. 
New  ideas  from  these  sources  now  profoundly  influenced 
conduct  and  society. 

The  pioneer  of  the  classical  movement  was  Petrarch, 
(d.  1374).  His  teaching  as  to  the  mutual  relations  of  the 
patron,  the  artist,  and  the  man  of  letters,  and  his  appeal  to 
Italian  pride  in  ancient  Rome,  helped  develop  every  art. 
Florence  was  the  centre  of  the  movement.  Its  citizens 
made  collections  of  ancient  gems,  coins,  and  manuscripts, 
founded  libraries,  and  attracted  scholars.  The  first  effect 
of  the  classical  texts  was  less  scholarship  than  inspiration 
and  a  gradual  growth  of  the  humanist  point  of  view. 


INTRODUCTION 


139 


Under  the  patronage  of  the  Medici,  in  the  early  fifteenth 
century,  there  arose  at  Florence  a  group  of  artists  who  had 
broken  with  the  traditions  of  the  followers  of  Giotto,  and 
whose  work,  free,  spontaneous,  and  human,  was  in  accord 
with  the  new  ideals.  Their  realism,  their  idealism,  their 
religious  feeling,  their  increasing  paganism,  reflected  the 
opposing  forces  of  the  times.  With  decorative  details  of 
great  delicacy  and  refinement,  not  as  yet  mere  imitation  of 
Roman  work,  their  art  possessed  the  qualities  of  sobriety 
and  restraint  and  showed  a  sympathetic  treatment  of  child¬ 
hood  and  an  increasing  interest  in  humanity.  The  Church 
welcomed  this  art  and  made  use  of  it.  In  the  sculpture  of 
Donatello  and  his  contemporaries,  and  the  paintings 
of  Masaccio,  Fra  Angelico  (see  p,  143),  Fra  Filippo 
Lippi,  Botticelli  and  others  at  Florence,  in  the  art  of 
the  hill  towns  from  the  valley  of  the  Arno  to  the 
upper  reaches  of  the  Tiber  in  Umbria,  and  in  that  of 
the  valley  of  the  Po,  Italy  interpreted  and  visualized 
the  Christian  religion  in  a  manner  never  to  be  forgotten. 

At  Venice  the  earlier  painters  were  followed  by  Giovanni 
Bellini,  who  painted  many  Madonnas  grave  and  serene,  still 
showing  traces  of  the  old  hieratic  Byzantine  art,  but  ren¬ 
dered  in  the  superb  color  which  was  the  distinctive  beauty 
of  the  Venetian  school.  (See  the  altar-piece  of  Bartolom¬ 
meo  Vivarini;  the  Pieta  of  Crivelli,  p.  145;  and  the  en¬ 
gravings  of  Mantegna  in  the  print  collection.)  In  the  mak¬ 
ing  of  beautifully  printed  books  Venice  led  the  rest  of  Italy. 
Sincerity  of  purpose  characterized  the  art  of  the  fifteenth 
century.  Its  expression  was  far  more  genuine  than  much 
of  the  technically  perfected  art  of  the  next  generation. 

With  Leonardo  da  Vinci’s  Last  Supper,  completed  at 
Milan  in  1498,  the  golden  age  of  painting  began  in  Italy. 
The  Popes  became  the  most  magnificent  of  patrons. 
Among  the  artists  at  Rome,  Raphael  best  embodied  the 
Renaissance  spirit.  In  the  Stanza  della  Segnatura  in  the 
Vatican  he  painted,  in  the  humanist  manner,  frescoes  repre¬ 
senting  religion,  poetry,  philosophy,  and  the  cardinal  vir- 


140 


PICTURES 


tues  (standing  for  character),  a  synthesis  which  the  mind 
of  the  Renaissance  continually  struggled  to  grasp.  (See 
the  engravings  of  Marcantonio  Raimondi  after  Raphael  in 
the  print  collection.)  The  splendid  frescoes  of  Old  Testa¬ 
ment  subjects  by  Michelangelo  in  the  Sistine  Chapel  belong 
to  this  period.  At  Venice  Giorgione  and  Titian,  with  many 
others  little  inferior  to  themselves,  reached  a  higher  techni¬ 
cal  stage  in  painting,  and  interpreted  their  subjects  in  a 
manner  more  secular  and  magnificent  than  religious. 

After  1500  direct  imitation  of  Roman  and  late  Greek 
art  became  more  pronounced.  The  new  St.  Peter’s  was 
begun  in  1506.  The  Apollo  Belvedere,  discovered  in  1491, 
and  the  Laocoon,  discovered  in  1506,  became  models  for 
sculpture.  Raphael  drew  up  plans  for  the  restoration  of 
ancient  Rome.  Original  Greek  works  had  small  influence 
as  compared  with  Roman  works;  even  the  temples  at 
Paestum,  near  Naples,  were  ignored. 

Meanwhile  there  was  a  vigorous  artistic  renaissance  in  the 
German  cities  along  the  routes  of  trade.  T'he  Gothic 
carvers  and  metal  workers  of  the  important  commercial 
city  of  Nuremberg  were  famous.  Its  painter,  Wolgemuth 
(see  p.  158),  was  the  teacher  of  Albrecht  Diirer,  who,  like 
Leonardo  da  Vinci,  was  a  thinker  and  a  writer.  (Diirer’s 
engravings  and  woodcuts  may  be  studied  in  the  print 
collection.)  Contemporary  with  Diirer  were  the  two  Hol¬ 
beins,  painters  of  Augsburg  and  Basle. 

The  first  half  of  the  sixteenth  century  was  the  most 
dramatic  period  in  Italian  history.  It  saw,  along  with  the 
culmination  of  Italian  art,  the  loss  of  Italian  liberty.  The 
mutually  jealous  small  city-states  of  Italy  failed  to  unite 
against  the  outside  enemy  (Spain,  France,  and  the  Ger¬ 
mans),  and  the  greater  part  of  the  peninsula  passed  under 
foreign  control.  Milan  lost  its  independence  in  1499,  Rome 
was  sacked  in  1527,  the  republic  of  Florence  came  to  an 
end  in  1531.  Venice,  although  humiliated,  remained  safe 
on  her  islands,  and  in  her  territories  painting  continued  to 
flourish  all  through  the  century  (see  pp,  148  and  149),  as 


INTRODUCTION  1 4 1 

did  literature  for  a  shorter  period  at  the  neighboring  courl 
of  Ferrara. 

During  this  century  lace-making  was  developed  in  Italy 
(see  ])[).  253  to  Stio),  and  majolica  ware  was  produced 
in  many  of  the  cowns  on  the  eastern  slopes  of  the 
Apennines  (see  p.  25o).  T  he  dome  of  the  new  St. 
Peter’s  at  Rome  was  finished  about  1000. 

Conquered  Italy  became  in  matters  of  art  the  teacher  of 
Northern  Europe,  where  the  great  Gothic  movement  had 
spent  itself.  In  France  Italian  influence  early  appeared  in 
the  royal  palaces  or  chateaux  of  the  valley  of  the  Loire,  with 
their  happy  mingling  of  native  Gothic  forms  and  Renais¬ 
sance  ornament.  The  spirit  of  the  Renaissance  was,  how¬ 
ever,  too  often  misunderstood  in  the  North,  where  the  later 
works  were  usually  imitated  rather  than  those  of  the  earlier 
and  more  inspired  period.  G.  M.  B. 

S.  Reinach,  Apollo,  an  illustrated  Manual  of  the  History  of  Art 
throughout  the  Ages ,  trans.  Simmons,  2d  edition,  N.  Y.,  1907 ; 
A.  Michel  (ed.).  Histoire  de  l' art,  Paris,  1905-06,  4  vols.  have  ap¬ 
peared;  the  historical  background  may  be  obtained  in  J.  H.  Rob¬ 
inson,  An  Introduction  to  the  History  of  Western  Europe,  Boston, 
1902;  convenient  introductory  books  are  O.  M.  Dalton,  A  Guide 
of  the  Early  Christian  and  Byzantine  Antiquities  in  the  British 
Museum,  London,  1903,  and  W.  R.  Lethaby,  Mediaeval  Art, 
312-1350,  N.  Y.,  1904.  For  the  Renaissance  see  E.  Muntz, 
Histoire  de  l’ art  pendant  la  renaissance,  3  vols.,  Paris,  1889-95. 

For  painting  consult :  Crowe  and  Cavalcaselle,  History  of  Paint¬ 
ing  in  Italy,  London,  1903,  ed.  Douglas,  2  vols.  have  appeared ; 
Blashfield  and  Hopkins  edition  of  Vasari,  4  vols.,  N.  Y.,  1897 ;  Wolt- 
man  and  YVoerman,  History  of  Painting,  2  vols.,  N.  Y.,  1880-85; 
Bryan,  Dictionary  of  Painters  and  Engravers,  edited  by  G.  C. 
Williamson,  5  vols.,  N.  Y.,  1903-05;  R.  Muther,  History  -of 
Modern  Painting,  3  vols.,  London,  1 895-96.  The  study  of  painting 
can  be  supplemented  to  advantage  by  the  use  of  the  print  collection. 

Single  painters  and  special  subjects  are  treated  in  such  series  of 
monographs  as  the  Great  Masters ,  the  Duckworth  series,  the  Knack- 
fuss  series,  and  many  others  contained  in  the  Museum  Library. 
Use  should  also  be  made  of  the  thousands  of  photographs  in  the 
Museum  Collection,  and  The  Manual  of  Italian  Renaissance 
Sculpture  as  illustrated  in  the  Collection  of  Casts,  published  by  the 
Museum.  1904. 


142 


PICTURES 


Marriage  of  Saint  Catherine  Sienese  School ,  Fourteenth  Century 

Allied  to  the  work  of  Lippo  Memmi,  though  not  in 
technique  strictly  typical  of  him.  The  central  small 
group  shows  two  young  knights  throwing  down  their 
arms  to  embrace.  Above,  the  inscription,  '  AricodiNeri 
Arighettihad  this  panel  made”  (feee  fare  questa  tavola), 
suggests  a  votive  picture  grown  out  of  fear  and  hatred 
likea  flower  from  the  mire.  The  Arighetti  are  mentioned 
in  Sienese  fourteenth  and  fifteenth  century  records. 


ITALIAN 


I43 


Madonna  and  Child  with  Angels ,  Saints  and  a  Donor 
Fra  Ciovanni  da  Fiesole,  called  Beato  Angelico,  1387-1455 

This  little  panel,  in  tempera,  which  measures  in 
height  and  width  only  eleven  and  a  half  inches,  is  a 
typical  example  of  Fra  Angelico,  suggesting  both  his 
ecstatic  devotion  to  the  mysteries  of  religion  and  also 
his  interest  in  the  contemporary  movement  toward 
scientific  investigation.  The  Virgin  and  Child  and  the 
adoring  angels  are  painted  with  that  mystic  sweetness 
and  holy  joy  which  have  produced  the  sentimental 
affection  so  generally  felt  for  Fra  Angelico,  and  the 
human  figures  with  a  marked  interest  in  reality. 

Gift  of  Mrs.  W.  Scott  Fitz. 


a  44 


PICTURES 


Carlo  Crivelli,  after  having  learned  his  art  in  Venice,  left 
that  city  never  to  return,  and  his  pictures  were  painted  in  a 
group  of  small  towns,  east  of  the  Apennines,  near  the  Adri¬ 
atic  coast,  between  Ancona  on  the  north  and  Ascoli  on  the 
south,  a  disputed  town  on  the  border  of  the  Papal  states  and 
the  kingdom  of  Naples.  This  was  a  region  little  affected 
bv  the  Renaissance,  and  here  he  was  able  to  work  undis¬ 
turbed  by  outside  influences  and  without  serious  rivals. 
Hence  his  art  retains  many  characteristics  of  the  early 
Venetians  before  Bellini,  although  enriched  by  his  own 
development. 

The  painting  on  the  opposite  pag'e  is  probably  a 
detached  panel  from  a  large  altar-piece;  it  is  in 
tempera  on  wood  and  is  inscribed  Opus  Caroli  CrirclU 
1485. 1  The  strongly  individualized  heads,  almost  harsh  in 
appearance,  occurring  side  by  side  with  a  beautiful  face, 
and  the  angular  hands  are  characteristic,  but  the  quiet 
seriousness  of  expression  usual  with  Crivelli,  is  here  and  in 
other  representations  of  the  Pieta  replaced  by  an  attempt 
at  violent  emotion  not  wholly  successful. 

The  architectural  details  and  the  festoons  of  fruit  show 
the  influence  of  the  school  of  Padua.  Crivelli,  unlike  Squar- 
cione  and  Mantegna,  has  not  copied  literally  the  marble 
festoons  from  Roman  sarcophagi  and  altars  (first  popu¬ 
larized  by  Donatello),  but  has  rendered  the  fruit  in  a  most 
natural  manner,  in  striking  contrast  to  the  archaic  figures. 

The  decorative  features  of  the  painting,  the  elaborate 
textile  patterns,  the  wide  spaces  of  enamel-like  color,  the 
use  of  gold,  and  the  absence  of  strong  contrasts  of  light  and 
shade,  recall  the  best  features  of  the  old  Venetian  school 
and  illustrate  one  of  the  most  attractive  sides  of  Crivelli ’s 
art. 


1  Ruskfortk,  Carlo  Crivelli ,  pp.  66,  67  and  103,  London.  1900. 


ITALIAN 


MS 


Pieta,  painted  l^So  Carlo  Crivelli,  Fifteenth  Century 


146  PICTURES 


Portrait  called  Giovanni  Bentivoglio ,  1443-1519 
Andrea  da  Solario,  1458-1530 

Solario  was  the  most  able  as  well  as  the  most  inde¬ 
pendent  of  the  Milanese  painters  who  were  influenced 
by  Leonardo  da  Vinci.  His  method  was  considerably 
affected  by  the  painters  of  Venice,  where  he  lived  for  a 
few  years.  I11  this  portrait,  which  is  so  carefully  painted 
that  it  has  an  enamel-like  quality,  he  has  represented  a 
resolute,  aggressive  personality,  a  man  of  physical  as 
well  as  mental  vigor. 


ITALIAN 


147 


Madonna  and  Child  with  St.  Jerome 
Fiorenzo  di  Lorenzo,  Late  Fifteenth  Century 

Fiorenzo  di  Lorenzo,  a  painter  of  Perugia,  worked  be¬ 
tween  1472  and  1521.  He  is  believed  to  have  been  the 
instructor  of  Perugino,  himself  the  master  of  Raphael. 
Comparatively  few  pictures  by  Fiorenzo  exist,  and  fewer 
still  with  figures  as  large  as  these.  The  panel,  in 
tempera,  is  conceived  with  the  devotional  feeling  char¬ 
acteristic  of  the  Umbrian  painters  and  with  their  love 
of  landscape,  but  with  a  sense  of  strong  and  refined 
color  combination  which  is  the  painter’s  own. 


mm 


148 


PICTURES 


Count  Alborghetti  of  Bergamo  and  IHs  Son 
Giovanni  Battista  Moroni,  1520  ( ?)-1578 


Many  painters,  influenced  by  Venice  but  retaining 
their  own  local  characteristics,  flourished  in  Venetian 
territories.  Moroni’s  truthful  portraits  were  painted 
at  Bergamo.  In  that  above,  the  father  has  just  finisned 
a  letter  and  handed  it  to  his  son  to  deliver. 


Portrait  Vittore  Carpaccio,  1450  ?-15M!  ? 

This  portrait  by  Carpaccio  is  distinguished  for  the 
soundness  and  force  of  its  structural  draughtsmanship, 
and  th e  strength  of  its  color.  There  is  a  feeling  of 
uncompromising  definition  in  the  forms,  with  the  ob¬ 
jectivity  that  is  present  in  most  portraits  by  the  old 
masters.  There  is  no  idealization  of  the  senator’s 
human  qualities,  which  are  keenly  observed,  and 
honestly  represented. 


ITALIAN 


PICTURES 


I  50 


2  j 

w  ’c/5  o  ^ 


dom  of  St.  John 

the  Baptist;  outside,  the  Virgin  with  saints  and  the  relatives  of  the  givers  ws 
painted  in  1511  for  the  Chapel  of  St.  Gertrude  in  the  Chateau  Eller,  near  Diisseldorf, 


GERMAN 


Portrait  of  a  Lady 
Lucas  Cranach  the  Elder ,  1472-1553 


This  thoughtful  portrait,  representing  Cranach  in  his 
graver  mood,  is  dated  1549,  the  year  before  his  mag¬ 
nificent  portrait  of  himself  which  is  now  in  the  Uffizi, 
and  four  years  before  his  death,  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
one.  In  his  later  style  the  coloring  is  sober,  but  the 
forms  are  more  graceful  and  his  drawing  is  marvellously 
sure.  Though  he  has  not  the  insight  of  Diirer  or 
Holbein  the  younger,  his  portraits  are  sincere  and 
individual,  and  achieved  the  greatest  popularity. 


152 


PICTURES 


The  Death  of  the  Virgin,  by  Michael  Wolgemuth,  is  an 
exceptional  example  of  a  master  little  known,  especially  in 
America,  though  he  is  worthy  of  honor,  both  for  his  own 
vigorous  and  individual,  if  somewhat  provincial  style,  and 
for  the  influence  he  exerted  upon  his  more  celebrated  pupil, 
Albrecht  Diirer. 

The  legend  of  the  Death  of  the  Virgin  relates  that  the 
Apostles  were  witnesses  of  the  event,  having  been  miracu¬ 
lously  gathered  from  all  parts  of  the  world.  They  are  rep¬ 
resented  in  the  eleven  figures  with  halos,  the  twelfth  being 
perhaps  Matthias,  the  successor  of  Judas,  shown  without  a 
halo  because  the  choice  of  the  Apostles  themselves  and  not 
of  their  Leader.  St.  John  holds  a  palm  leaf  before  the 
Virgin,  another  lifts  his  hand  in  benediction,  a  third 
carries  the  aspergillum  with  holy  water,  a  fourth  bears 
the  cross,  and  a  fifth  blows  to  rekindle  his  censer. 
Strong  coloring  undimmed  by  age,  careful  and  elab¬ 
orate  representation  of  stuffs  and  drapery,  emphatically 
modelled  faces  —  portrait-like  and  individual  all  are 
united  in  this  picture. 

The  inscription  in  the  panel  at  the  base  reads:  “In  the 
year  of  our  Lord  1479,  on  the  Friday  before  St.  Walpurga’s 
Day,  departed  this  life  the  honorable  Mistress  Hedwig 
Volkamer,  to  whom  may  God  be  gracious  and  compassion¬ 
ate.”  Hedwig  Tucher  married  Hartwig  Volkamer  the 
younger,  who  died  in  1467,  she  surviving  until  1479.  The 
coat-of-arms  on  the  left  is  the  escutcheon  of  the  Volkamer, 
and  that  on  the  right  of  the  Tucher  family.  In  the  two 
kneeling  figures  of  groom  and  bride,  youthful  and  quaint  in 
dress  and  bearing,  this  memorial  altar-piece  perpetuates  the 
memory  of  the  husband  and  wife. 


GERMAN 


153 


«dch  <£lirifii  arisuri ;+ 79  iim 
f  rnliia  norSiBulbarani  tag 
otrffhib  bicS-lwIfeB  f?tft 
tinn^Nolfauinw  btr  ©ott  gist 
bigtiiisturdirrlygitn. 


The  Death  of  the  Virgin,  fainted  about  UfiO 
Michael  Wolqemuihi  1434-1619 


154 


PICTURES 


This  remarkable  portrait  of  Fray  Feliz  Palavicino  is  one 
of  the  finest  works  of  El  Greco.  In  the  ruffled  hair,  the 
ashen  cheeks,  the  brilliant  eyes  and  refined  hands  of  Fray 
Feliz,  who  is  dressed  in  the  robes  of  the  Trinitarian  order, 
the  painter  has  here  most  forcibly  presented  the  personality 
of  the  acute,  nervous,  fiery  ecclesiastic.  What  Fray  Feliz 
himself  thought  of  the  portrait  he  expressed  in  a  sonnet 
addressed  to  the  artist,1  a  translation  of  which  follows: 

O  Greek  divine !  We  wonder  not  that  in  thy  works 
The  imagery  surpasses  actual  being, 

But  rather  that,  while  thou  art  spared,  the  life  that’s  due 
Unto  tny  brush  should  e’er  withdraw  to  heaven. 

The  sun  does  not  reflect  his  rays  in  his  own  sphere 
As  brightly  as  thy  canvases.  Thou  dost 
Essay,  and  like  a  god  succeed.  Let  nature  try: 

Behold  her  vanquished  and  outdone  by  thee ! 

Thou  rival  of  Prometheus  in  thy  portraiture, 

May’st  thou  escape  his  pain,  yet  seize  his  fire: 

This  does  my  soul  for  thee  most  ardently  desire ; 

And  after  nine  and  twenty  years  of  life, 

Betwixt  thy  hand  and  that  of  God  she  stands  perplexed, 
And  doubts  which  is  her  body,  where  to  dwell. 

Domenico  Theotocopuli,  called  El  Greco,  El  Griego,  or 
Dominico  Greco,  was  born  in  the  island  of  Crete  and  trained 
in  Venice.  He  went  to  Toledo  in  1575,  where  he  died  in 
1614.  His  original  but  somewhat  eccentric  genius  did  not 
find  favor  with  King  Philip  II,  who  was  then  carrying  for¬ 
ward  the  decoration  of  the  Escorial  palace.  Many  of  El 
Greco’s  portraits  are  admirable,  and  it  is  possible  that 
Velazquez  was  influenced  by  them.  El  Greco  was  also  a 
sculptor  and  an  architect. 

1  Palomino,  El  Museo  Pidorico,  Madrid,  1797;  t.  II,  p.  428. 


SPANISH 


155 


Portrait  0}  Fray  Feliz  Hortemio  Palavicino,  painted  1609 
El  Greco  ( Domenico  Theotocoptdi),  1546(f)-!  6 14- 


1 56 


PICT  LUES 


Velazquez  has 
here  painted  a 
more  youthful  face 
than  appears  in 
any  of  the  other 
portraits  of  the 
royal  family.  It 
is  that  of  a  boy, 
not  wholly  at  ease 
in  his  position,  and 
rather  resentful  of 
his  self-conscious¬ 
ness.  The  figure 
is  standing  beside 
a  table  covered 
with  dull  crimson 
velvet,  upon  which 
rests  his  hat.  His 
dress  is  black,  re¬ 
lieved  only  by  a 
golden  chain  and 
the  Order  of  the 
Golden  Fleece  and  the  linen  at  his  wrists  and  neck.  His 
left  hand  rests  on  the  hilt  of  his  sword;  in  his  right  he 
holds  a  paper.  The  absence  of  self-display  in  the  dress  and 
the  sobriety  of  the  surroundings  accord  with  the  fashion  of 
the  Spanish  Court  at  the  moment. 

This  picture  probably  dates  from  1623,  in  which  year 
Velazquez  became  court  painter.  In  it  are  seen  all  the  qual¬ 
ities  of  his  earlier  work:  the  outlines  of  the  figure  are 
sharply  drawn,  the  modelling  is  hard  and  lacks  atmosphere, 
the  painter  works  very,  near  his  subject  with  sharp  per¬ 
spective,  the  light  is  from  the  left,  the  background  almost 
empty,  the  hands  well  shaped  and  conspicuous,  and  a 
closely- woven  canvas  is  used  with  reddish  brown  under¬ 
painting.  In  a  full  strong  light  one  sees  the  beautiful  draw¬ 
ing  of  this  figure,  the  determinate  lines  of  the  body,  and  the 
details  of  the  dark  clothes. 


Head  from  Portrait  by  Velazquez 


SPANISH 


1 57 


Early  Portrait  of  Philip  IV 
Diego  Velazquez,  1599-1660 


>5* 


PICTURES 


The  picture  on  the 
opposite  page  represents 
t  he  son  of  Philip  IV, 
with  the  dwarf,  the 
attendant  provided  for 
royalties  according  to  the 
taste  of  the  time.  The 
pair  are  at  play.  The 
prince  is  clad  in  a  quaint 
mixture  of  infant  dress 
and  toy  armor.  He  wears 
a  steel  gorget  and  has  one 
hand  placed  on  his  min¬ 
iature  sword ;  a  sash 
crosses  his  chest;  a  baton 
in  his  disengaged  hand  is 
used  as  a  support;  his 
dark  green  frock  is  em¬ 
broidered  with  gold,  with  lace  at  the  neck  and  wrists.  A 
plumed  hat  lies  on  a  cushion  opposite  him.  The  dwarf 
stands  on  a  lower  step  of  the  dais  holding  a  silver  mace-like 
bauble  and  an  apple.  The  prince's  face  is  very  beautiful 
and  winsome  with  his  blue  eyes,  bright,  clear  complexion 
and  scant  flaxen  hair.  The  picture  has  a  golden  red  under¬ 
tone  which  shows  through  everywhere. 

Don  Baltazar  Carlos,  eldest  son  of  Philip  IV,  was  born 
in  1629.  This  portrait,  in  which  he  is  only  about  two  years 
old,  is  the  earliest  of  a  most  interesting  series  painted  at 
different  times  during  his  boyhood,  showing  him  in  hunting 
dress,  on  horseback,  and  in  ordinary  dress.  The  prince  died 
in  1646,  when  only  seventeen  years  old.  The  Infanta  Mar¬ 
garita,  born  1651,  daughter  of  Philip  IV  and  his  second 
wife,  appears  in  another  charming  series  of  portraits  by 
Velazquez,  including  the  famous  Las  Meninas  (the  Maids 
of  Honor),  painted  when  she  was  between  three  and  seven 
years  old.  In  1659,  the  year  before  his  death,  Velazquez 
painted  the  little  prince,  Philip  Prosper,  then  only  two  years 
old,  who  died  two  years  later. 


Don  Baltazar  Carlos 


SPANISH 


159 


Don  Baltazar  Carlos  and  his  Dwarf ,  painted  16S1 
Diego  Velazquez,  1599-166 n 


i6o 


PICTURES 


Coronation  of  the  Virgin 
Spanish  School,  end  of  the  Fifteenth  Century 

An  effort  after  richness  in  the  decoration  of  fabrics, 
accessories,  and  the  use  of  gold  is  characteristic  of 
Spanish  painting  up  to  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  cen¬ 
tury.  Flemish  and  Italian  influences  frequently  mingle 
in  it.  Often  a  number  of  figures  are  grouped  within  a 
narrow  space. 


Portrait  Francisco  Goya  y  Lucie, rites,  17 46-1828 

A  young  man  of  slight  build  and  delicate  features, 
dressed  in  the  costume  of  his  time,  stands  near  a  table 
on  which  are  writing-  materials.  He  is  believed  to  be 
the  artist’s  son.  This  portrait  was  probably  painted 
before  the  larger  one  illustrated  on  the  following  page. 


SPANISH 


i62 


PICTURES 


Portrait  of  a  Man  Francisco  Goya  y  Lucie, rites.  1746-1828 


Goya,  to  whose  work  French  artists  of  the  nineteenth 
century  are  indebted,  became  painter  to  King  Charles  IV 
in  1789.  His  etchings  depict  contemporary  Spain,  in 
the  scenes  from  the  Bull  Ring,  in  the  bitterly  satirical 
Caprichos  (to  be  seen  in  the  Museum  collection  of  prints), 
in  the  Miseries  of  War,  and  in  other  series. 

This  portrait  is  an  example  of  Goya's  most  virile  and 
at  the  same  time  most  finished  work. 


SPANISH 


163 


Portrait  of  My  Unde  Daniel  and  His  Family  Ignacio  Zuloaga,  ( 1870- 


164 


PICTURES 
Dutch  Painting 


The  Dutch  people,  Protestant  in  their  religion,  rich 
through  their  ocean  commerce  and  their  possessions  in  the 
East  Ind  ies,  self-reliant,  and  independent  after  the  success¬ 
ful  termination  of  their  eighty  years’  struggle  against  Span¬ 
ish  control,  became  definitely  separated  in  the  seventeenth 
century  from  the  people  of  the  Southern  Netherlands. 
Those  provinces  still  belonged  to  Spain  and  remained 
Catholic,  and  there  Rubens  continued  to  paint  Italian  tra¬ 
ditional  subjects,  although  he  interpreted  them  in  a  thor¬ 
oughly  Flemish  manner. 

The  great  Dutch  1  painters  took  little  interest  in  Italian 
religious  pictures,  or  in  mythological  or  historical  subjects, 
and  in  spite  of  the  activity  of  the  Dutch  printing  presses 
they  had  no  literature  of  their  own  to  put  into  painting.  In 
a  time  of  wars  abroad  and  confusion  of  struggling  parties  at 
home,  they  preferred  to  ignore  the  hero,  the  fighting  man, 
and  the  stirring  episode.  Instead  they  painted  portraits  of 
individuals,  civic  and  corporation  groups,  quiet  interiors 
and  homely  scenes,  broad  sweeps  of  sky  over  a  landscape 
with  cattle,  and  the  commonest  of  everyday  incidents. 
Many  of  then  wonderful  paintings  of  game,  fruit,  and 
flowers  were  simply  signs  for  dealers. 

These  painters  brought  an  unfettered  mind  and  eye  to 
see  their  subject,  and  their  art  clothes  it  in  color  and  in 
wonderful  light  and  shadow.  The  careful  workmanship 
and  the  soundness  of  their  technical  methods  raises  their 
pictures  above  the  unimaginative  literal  rendering  of  the 
life  of  a  provincial  people,  and  makes  of  them  works  of 
universal  interest;  a  portrait  bv  Rembrandt  is  a  master’s 
study  of  the  human  face  seen  in  varying  conditions  of  light 
and  shadow,  or  a  picture  by  Pieter  de  Hooch  (see  p.  ]P8) 
is  above  all  else  a  marvellous  rendering  of  sunlight  coming 
into  a  darkened  interior.  Even  when  the  picture  is  a  coarse 
tavern  scene  or  a  prosaic  meat  shop,  the  true  sense  of  color 
and  the  finished  workmanship  so  delight  the  eye  that  sub¬ 
ject  and  composition  are  forgotten. 

Cf.  Eugene  Fromentin,  The  Old  Masters  of  Belgium  and 
Holland,  trans.  Robbins.  Boston.  1882. 


DUTCH 


165 


Portrait  of  a  Lady  Franz  Hals ,  1581(?)-1666 


The  quiet,  self-reliant,  smiling  lady  whose  portrait  ap- 
pears  in  this  picture,  is  seated  in  a  favorite  attitude  of  the 
artist,  a  book  in  one  hand,  the  other  grasping  the  arm 
of  her  chair.  The  picture  is  signed  164-8;  in  it  the 
characteristics  of  Hals’  later  manner  may  be  studied. 
The  greater  part  of  Franz  Hals’  life  was  spent  in  Haar¬ 
lem,  where  the  finest  series  of  his  works  is  still  to  b« 
seen  in  the  Town  Hall. 


166 


PICTURES 


River  Scene  Jan  Van  Goyen,  1596-1656 

Jan  Van  Goyen  was  one  of  the  few  greater  Dutch 
artists  whose  birthdate  falls  before  that  of  Rembrandt. 
Of  the  Dutch  landscape,  brought  to  its  perfection  later 
by  Ruysdael  and  Hobbema,  Van  Goyen  is  called  the 
creator.  His  life  was  passed  within  a  few  leagues  of 
The  Hague,  where  he  became  a  substantial  citizen. 
Portraits  of  Van  Goyen  exist  by  Franz  Hals,  Van  Dyck, 
and  Van  der  Heist  —  an  engraving  of  the  latter  bearing 
the  inscription  genuinus  Pictor  Regionum  ”  (' '  born 
painter  of  the  region  ”)•  The  present  panel  is  signed 
and  dated  1655,  the  year  before  Van  Goyen's  death, 
and  the  delicate  veil  of  warm  tone  bathing  the  land¬ 
scape  marks  his  latest  manner.  The  intimate  and  quiet 
charm  of  his  work  has  given  Van  Goyen  an  enduring 
fame.  His  pictures  are  at  once  important  historically 
and  enjoyable  for  their  own  sake. 


DUTCH 


1 67 


Portrait  of  the  Wife  of  Dr.  Nicholas  Tulp 
Rembrandt  Van  Ryn,  1607-1669 


1 68 


PICTURES 


Dutch  Interior  Pieter  de  Ilooch,  1632(?)-1681  (?) 

In  a  room,  darkened  by  a  drawn  curtain  and  lighted  by 
an  open  door,  are  two  women.  One  of  them,  stooping,  is 
lighting  the  fire;  the  flame  makes  a  bright  spot  in  the 
gloom.  The  other  woman  holds  a  basket  as  if  about  to  set 
out  for  market  with  the  dog.  Her  red  shoe  is  another  bright 
spot  of  color.  The  next  room,  where  the  lower  step  and 
rail  of  a  stairway  can  be  seen,  is  filled  with  light  from  many 
windows.  A  bright  ray  of  sunlight  comes  in  through  the 
open  door  striking  along  the  edge  of  the  casing,  in  contrast 
with  the  reflection,  on  the  partition  between  the  window 
and  the  doorway,  from  a  red  curtain  at  the  outer  window. 
Outside  is  a  canal ;  on  the  opposite  side  a  row  of  trees  with 
figures  of  passersby,  beyond  them  houses  facing  the  canal, 
with  the  full  sunlight  lighting  up  their  red-tiled  roofs. 


DUTCH 


169 


Portrait  of  a  Lady  N.  Maes,  1632-1633 

A  product  of  Maes’  maturity  like  this  brilliant  picture 
is  generally  more  interesting  to  a  student  of  painting 
than  either  his  earlier  or  his  later  work.  At  first  he 
painted  with  a  simple  fidelity,  although  according  to  an 
elaborate  system,  which  later  became  a  very  florid  use 
of  thin  color  and  a  brilliant  palette.  He  has  endowed 
this  portrait  with  all  the  distinction  at  his  command, 
composing  a  rich  background  of  blacks  and  grays,  which 
both  harmonize  with  the  sedate  and  gentle  dignity  of  the 
figure  represented  and  serve  to  enhance  its  fragility  and 
pallor. 


PICTURES 


l  70 

The  wealthy  commercial  and  manufacturing  cities  of 
Flanders  developed  a  brilliant  school  of  painting  in  the 
fifteenth  century.  Their  pictures  are  the  first  wholly  suc¬ 
cessful  combination  of  color  with  oil,  and,  whether  secular 
or  religious,  they  depict  the  things  in  which  the  contem¬ 
porary  Flemish  burgher  took  an  interest.  Bright  textiles, 
jewels,  portraits,  architectural  detail,  landscapes  which 
seem  to  be  viewed  through  a  reducing  glass,  are  painted  in 
warm  color,  and  the  influence  of  the  miniaturist’s  art  is  very 
apparent. 

The  picture  shown  opposite  is  a  beautiful  example  of  the 
early  Flemish  school.  Although  ordinarily  attributed  to 
Rogier  van  der  Weyden,  it  is  argued  with  some  reason  that 
it  is  by  Gerard  David.  The  subject  is  St.  Luke  drawing 
the  portrait  of  the  Virgin,  one  of  the  legends  of  St.  Luke. 
His  usual  symbol,  the  ox,  is  seen  in  a  small  room  at  the  right, 
under  the  colored  window  and  the  book.  The  Virgin  is 
seated  under  a  canopy  of  Flemish  brocade,  on  a  Gothic 
wooden  bench,  on  which  is  carved  the  Temptation  of  Eve. 
A  loggia  opens  upon  a  garden  with  violets  and  other  flowers, 
where  a  man  and  a  woman  are  looking  over  a  parapet. 
The  distance  presents  one  of  those  landscapes  which  the 
Flemish  artists  delighted  to  paint. 

The  picture  is  upon  an  oak  panel,  and,  like  many  other 
productions  of  these  wonderful  painters,  is  remarkable  as 
well  for  its  draughtsmanship  and  the  establishment  of  forms 
in  pure  grisaille  as  for  its  color  in  its  completed  state.  It  is 
repainted  in  parts.  The  columns,  the  cushion  on  which  the 
Saint  kneels,  the  dark  folds  of  the  Virgin’s  robe,  and  the 
sky  and  distance  on  the  right,  are  easily  distinguished  as  the 
work  of  a  restorer.  Beautiful  as  the  original  work  is  when 
viewed  close  at  hand,  its  color  is  still  more  luminous  when 
looked  at  from  a  distance. 


FLEMISH 


171 


St.  Luke  Drawing  the  Portrait  of  the  Virgin 
Flemish  School,  Fifteenth  Century 


172 


PICTURES 


Anna  Maria  de  Schodt  Anthony  Van  Dyck,  1599-1641 

A  burgher’s  wife  dressed  in  her  most  costly  gown.  This 
portrait  is  identified  with  that  formerly  over  the  family 
tomb  in  the  cathedral  of  St.  Gudule  at  Brussels.1 


1  Rooses,  Funfzig  Meisterwerlce  von  Van  Dyck,  Leipzig,  1900; 
p.  85. 


FRENCH 


1 73 


In  1647  Arnauld  d’Andilly,  elder  brother  of  the  famous 
Dr.  Antoine  Arnauld,  had  deserted  the  court  of  Louis  XIII 
and  was  living  at  the  Abbey  of  Port  Royal  des  Champs, 
not  many  miles  from  Versailles,  where  he  devoted  himself 
to  the  religious  life  and  to  intellectual  pursuits  and  the  culti¬ 
vation  of  his  garden.  The  portrait  shows  him  as  he  was,  a 
man  of  intelligence  and  amiability.  Philippe  de  Cham- 
paigne,  Flemish  by  birth  but  French  by  choice,  was  the 
painter  of  Port  Royal,  and  d’Andilly  a  noted  adherent. 
Artist  and  subject  make  this  painting  an  historic  document 
of  moment. 


Arnauld  d’Andilly 


Philippe  de  Champaigne,  1602-1674 


PICTURES 


Parnassus  Claude  Gellee ,  railed  Lorraine,  iHOQ-168% 

Parnassus,  one  of  the  few  paintings  in  the  Museum 
representing  a  mythological  subject,  is  an  important 
example  of  Claude  Lorraine,  who  painted  especially 
landscapes,  in  which  he  endeavored  to  express  various 
effects  of  light  and  transparent  atmosphere.  He  exer¬ 
cised  a  great  influence  upon  modern  painters,  upon 
Turner  in  England  and  Corot  in  France. 

This  picture  was  painted  for  the  Constable  Colonna 
in  1081.  In  the  disposition  of  the  figures  of  the  picture 
Claude  was  inspired  by  the  famous  fresco  of  Raphael  in 
the  Vatican,  representing  the  same  subject.  The  Muses 
are  assembled  on  Mt.  Helicon,  listening  to  the  lyre 
of  Apollo;  nearby  is  the  fountain  Hippoerene,  which 
Pegasus  caused  to  spring  up  with  a  blow  from  his  hoof. 
But  in  a  picture  by  Claude  the  figures  always  count  for 
little;  its  charm  lies  in  the  poetically-conceived  land¬ 
scape,  with  its  harmony  of  line  and  delicately-blending, 
soft  color. 


FRENCH 


175 


The  Halt  at  the  Fountain  Frangois  Boucher,  1708-171 U 

The  Museum  also  possesses  "Going  to  Market, *’  a 
companion  piece  to  this  picture. 

Boucher’s  talents  were  devoted  to  the  entertainment  of 
the  luxurious  court  of  Louis  XV  and  the  circle  of  Madame 
de  Pompadour.  His  easel  pictures,  mural  paintings,  de¬ 
signs  for  tapestries  and  scenery  for  the  theatre  reflect  the 
taste  and  temper  of  his  day,  its  pleasure  in  what  was  grace¬ 
ful,  no  matter  how  unreal,  its  determination  to  ignore  every¬ 
thing  painful  or  unpleasant.  Jean  Marc  Nattier,  1685- 
1766,  was  the  portrait  painter  of  this  same  society. 

The  world  for  which  Boucher  painted  was  weary  of  the 
academic  compositions  of  the  days  of  Louis  XIV.  It  had 
welcomed  the  “fetes  galantes”  of  Watteau,  1684-1721, 
and  of  Lancret,  1690-1743.  Boucher’s  successor,  Frago¬ 
nard,  1732-1806,  painted  still  more  intimately  its  manners 
and  fashions. 


176 


PICTURES 


Benjamin  Franklin  J .  S.  Duplessis,  1725-1802 


During  his  sojourn  in  France,  1776-1783,  Franklin’s 
portrait  was  painted  repeatedly.  He  wrote  in  1780:  “I 
have  at  the  request  of  friends  sat  so  much  and  so  often  to 
painters  and  statuaries,  that  I  am  perfectly  sick  of  it.”  1 
The  portrait  by  Duplessis,  of  which  this  is  one  of  several 
replicas,  is  considered  the  best.2 
Lent  by  tbe  Boston  Athenaeum. 

1  Franklin’s  Works,  edited  by  John  Bigelow,  v.  VII,  p.  96. 

2  See  McClure  s  Magazine,  Jan.,  1897,  p.  269. 


FRENCH 


1 77 


French  Painting  in  the  Nineteenth  Century 

A  notable  characteristic  of  the  art  of  the  nineteenth  cen¬ 
tury  is  the  enlargement  of  the  range  of  subjects  treated  in 
painting.  Gericault,  followed  by  Delacroix  (see  p.  180)  and 
the  romantic  school,  reflecting  the  widespread  unrest  which 
led  to  the  Revolutions  of  1830  and  1848,  substituted  scenes 
from  the  novel,  history,  contemporary  romance  and  tragedy 
for  the  academic  subjects  of  David  and  the  classicists. 
Delacroh  Fromentin,  and  Decamps  made  known  the  life, 
and  painted  the  brilliant  colors  of  Algiers  and  the  Levant. 

Influenced  by  Constable  and  Bonington  in  England, 
Rousseau,  Corot  (see  p.  179),  Daubigny,  Diaz  (see  the  pic¬ 
ture  called  “The  Descent  of  the  Bohemians”)  and  Dupre 
added  the  vast  domain  of  landscape  painting  to  art.  Others 
like  Troyon  painted  animals  with  landscape.  With  them 
at  Barbizon  was  Millet,  a  peasant  from  Cherbourg,  who 
painted  the  peasant  at  his  work.  Millet  once  wrote:  “De¬ 
void  though  the  peasant’s  toil  may  be  of  joyousness,  it 
nevertheless  stands,  not  only  for  true  human  nature,  but 
also  for  the  loftiest  poetry.  ”  (See  pp.  181—183.) 

The  most  radical  departure  of  the  century  came  after 
1850  with  those  artists,  later  known  as  the  Impressionists, 
among  whom  Manet  was  the  pioneer  and  Monet  the  most 
consistent  exponent.  Manet  said,  “The  principal  person  in 
a  picture  is  the  light,”  and  these  artists  rendered  light,  the 
light  of  the  air,  the  light  of  every  object  and  its  reflections 
on  other  objects,  and  so  accomplished  their  picture. 

The  end  of  the  century  has  welcomed  paintings  which 
depict  the  life  of  the  laborer  in  all  its  phases ;  every  side  of 
life  has  been  touched  with  beauty.  There  has  been  an  in¬ 
crease  in  mural  decoration ;  and  portraiture,  which  has 
produced  great  works  all  through  the  century,  still  continues 
its  activity. 


1 78  PICTURES 


Portrait  of  the  Marquis  de  Pastoret.  Chancellor  of  France ,  1829 
Paul  Delaroclie,  1797-1856 

Delaroche  is  principally  known  by  his  historical  pic¬ 
tures  and  by  his  mural  painting  decorating  the  hemi- 
cycle  of  the  Academy  of  the  Beaux  Arts  in  Paris.  This 
portrait  shows  him  a  master  also  in  portraiture.  The  fea¬ 
tures  of  the  dreamy,  melancholy  countenance  are  studied 
with  the  conscientiousness  of  a  primitive  painter.  The 
portrait  was  probably  painted  in  1 829,  when  the  Marquis 
had  just  been  made  Chancellor  of  France. 


French 


179 


Dante  and  Virgil  J .  B.  C.  Corot,  1796-1875 

Corot’s  art,  a  highly  poetical  interpretation  of  nature, 
depicts  the  most  subtle  atmospheric  effects,  such  as  the 
falling  light  of  evening  or  the  moment  just  before  sunrise, 
which  is  the  time  chosen  for  this  picture.  Dante  is  lost  in  a 
dark  wood  and  is  rescued  by  Virgil  from  a  lion,  a  leopardess, 
and  a  she-wolf,  who  bar  his  way.  ( Inferno ,  canto  I.) 


PICTURES 


180 


Pieta,  painted  1848  F.  V.  Eugene  Delacroix,  1798-1868 


This  pieta  is  conceived  in  the  spirit  which  marked  Dela¬ 
croix  as  the  most  important  figure  in  the  Romantic  move¬ 
ment.  Though  dark,  it  is  rich  in  color,  and  it  was  consid¬ 
ered  by  the  painter  one  of  his  most  beautiful  works.  Dela¬ 
croix  was  among  the  first  of  the  French  painters  of  the 
nineteenth  century  to  revive  the  religious  subject,  which  had 
been  banished  from  French  art  by  the  Revolution  and  the 
classicism  of  David. 


FRENCH 


1 8 1 


The  Sower  J.  F.  Millet,  1814-1875 


This  picture  was  among  the  first  fruits  of  Millet’s 
residence  at  Barbizon,  and  was  exhibited  in  the  Salon 
of  1851.  Millet  afterward  painted  the  replica  now 
preserved  in  the  Vanderbilt  Collection  in  New  York. 

The  Sower  walks  with  a  rhythmic  step.  .  .  He  is 
bony,  wan,  and  lean,  .  .  nevertheless  life  issues  from 
his  large  hand,  and  with  a  superb  movement  he  who 
has  nothing  scatters  upon  the  earth  the  bread  of  the 
future.  ” 


1 82 


PICTURES 


FRENCH 


Prim, roues  J.  F.  Millet,  1814-1875 

It  is  in  part  to  Millet’s  disappointment  over  the 
chilling  reception  at  first  given  his  paintings  that  the 
world  owes  the  wealth  of  drawings  from  his  hand. 
His  unsparing  portraiture  of  the  laborious  life  of  the 
peasant  led  some  critics  to  believe  him  indifferent  to 
the  charms  of  the  country.  Writing  to  a  friend  Millet 
replied  :  I  find  far  more  than  charms.  I  find  infinite 

splendors.  I  see  as  well  as  they  do  the  little  flowers 
of  which  Christ  said,  ‘  Even  Solomon  in  all  his  glory 
was  not  arrayed  like  one  of  these.’  .”  This  pastel 
is  an  illustration  of  his  words. 


184 


PICTURES 


Hunting  the  Roebuck  in  the.  High  Jura:  The  Quarry 

Gustave  Courbet. ,  1819-1877 

Notwithstanding  the  low  pitch  in  which  this  picture 
is  painted,  it  is  of  unique  force.  Courbet  was  an  ardent 
hunter,  and  ‘  La  Curee  ”  has  been  called  ‘  an  episode 
of  the  hunt  in  the  governmental  forest  of  Levier.  ” 
The  horn  is  sounding  the  Hallali  and  Courbet  himself 
is  listening.  The  picture  conveys  in  various  ways  a 
vivid  message  of  calm  after  tumult.  The  fancied  echoes 
of  the  horn  seem  to  break  an  absolute  stillness  among 
the  evenly  planted  trees. 


FRENCH 


185 


L’ Imminence  Grise,  painted  1874  </•  L.  Gdrdrne,  1824-1904 

Father  Joseph,  a  Capuchin  monk,  was  secretary  and  con¬ 
fidant  of  Richelieu.  His  powerful  position  won  for  him  the 
name  “His  Grey  Eminence,”  in  distinction  from  his  mas¬ 
ter’s  title.  He  is  here  seen  descending  the  stairs  of  the 
Cardinal’s  palace  engrossed  in  his  breviary,  while  a  num¬ 
ber  of  courtiers  ascend  to  some  reception.  They  make 
way  for  him  and  bow  in  token  of  their  recognition  of  his 
influence.  The  contrast  between  the  affected  servility  of 
the  rich  and  the  unassuming  bearing  of  the  friar  is  the  occa¬ 
sion  of  the  picture. 

Gerome’s  knowledge  and  his  wealth  of  detail  in  telling  a 
story  make  this  work  justly  famous.  The  conception,  it 
must  be  confessed,  is  not  very  deep  —  theatrical  perhaps, 
rather  than  dramatic;  there  is  also  a  certain  dryness  and 
lack  of  atmosphere  in  the  picture,  due  to  its  artificial 
illumination  and  the  artist’s  inattention  to  exact  tone  rela¬ 
tions.  The  whole  work  is  a  brilliant  illustration  in  color 
rather  than  an  inspired  presentation  of  the  truth. 


PICTURES 


1 86 


1 


Race  Horses  H .  G.  E.  Degas,  born  1834 


This  artist  finds  his  inspiration  in  those  elements  of 
Parisian  life  represented  by  the  ballet,  the  cafe  concert,  and 
the  race-course.  He  brings  a  subtle  power  of  observation, 
a  profound  technique,  and  a  sense  of  elegance  which  is 
temperamental,  to  portray  its  incidents. 

In  the  picture,  “Race  Horses,”  it  is  a  clear  but  overcast 
day;  the  sky  is  threatening,  with  clouds  tinted  like  rose 
leaves;  there  are  no  shadows,  and  colors  are  emphasized. 
At  the  back  is  the  height  of  Suresnes,  with  trim  gardens  and 
houses  clinging  to  its  slopes;  in  front  is  the  race-course  of 
Longchamp.  Still  nearer  in  the  paddock,  ready  for  the 
struggle,  are  eleven  race  horses,  —  high  bred,  nervous,  and 
restless  creatures,  —  with  their  gentlemen  jockies  in  gay 
jackets. 

Many  influences  helped  to  mould  the  art  of  Degas,  among 
them  the  example  of  Manet  and  the  principles  of  Japanese 
decorative  painting. 


FRENCH 


187 


Automedon  with  the  Horses  of  Achilles 

Henri  Regnault,  1843-1871 

Xanthos  and  Balios,  the  immortal  horses  of  Achilles,  con¬ 
scious  of  the  hero’s  approaching  death,  already  foretold  by 
one  of  them  in  speech,  are  struggling  with  Automedon,  his 
charioteer.  The  stormy  sky  with  a  pale  glimmer  on  the 
horizon,  the  ominous  sea,  the  barren  shore,  presage  disaster. 

The  painter’s  enthusiasm  for  horses,  his  magnificent 
color,  his  facile  power  of  drawing,  are  here  united  in  an 
impetuous  composition.  The  picture  was  Regnault’s 
envoi  as  the  holder  of  the  Prix  de  Rome  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
four.  Three  years  later  this  happy  genius  met  his  tragic 
end  in  the  last  sortie  against  the  Germans  besieging  Paria 


1 88 


P1CTURKS 


Portrait  of  Mrs.  Polk 
Sir  Joshua  Reynolds ,  1723-1792 

Sir  J  oshua  Reynolds  returned  to  England  in  1752,  at 
the  age  of  twenty -nine,  after  having  spent  nearly  three 
years  in  Italy.  He  rapidly  became  the  fashionable  por¬ 
trait-painter,  and  his  career  was  one  of  unbroken  success. 
He  had,  however,  little  technical  training,  and  in  the 
use  of  pigments  was  devoted  to  experiments  too  often 
unsuccessful ;  but  grace,  beauty,  and  charm  his  pictures 
always  possessed. 


ENGLISH 


189 


The  Falls  of  the  Rhine  at  Schaffhausen  {exhibited,  1806)  J.  M.  W.  Turner  (1775-1851) 


PICTURES 


I90 


The  Slave  Ship  J.  M.  W.  Turner,  1775-1851 

The  original  title  of  the  painting  was  “Slaver  Throwing 
Overboard  the  Dead  and  Dying;  Typhoon  Coming  on.” 
It  was  once  in  the  possession  of  John  Ruskin,  who  wrote  of 
it  that  “it  was  the  noblest  sea  Turner  ever  painted.”  1 
The  print  collection  contains  fine  examples  from  the 
“  Liber  Studiorum  ”  (see  p.  382). 

In  the  same  gallery  there  is  a  pleasing  example  of  Richard 
Wilson,  1714-1782,  with  the  usual  Italian  landscape,  a 
tower  on  a  hill,  a  picturesque  valley  in  the  foreground,  and 
the  wide  stretch  of  the  Roman  Campagna  beyond.  With 
this  may  be  compared  a  small  work  of  John  Constable, 
1776-1837;  and  the  fine  example  of  John  Crome,  1769- 
1821,  which  shows  a  distant  view  of  the  city  of  Norwich 
and  its  cathedral. 

1  Modern  Painters,  London,  1867 ;  vol.  I,  p.  376. 


ENGLISH 


IQI 


Portrait  of  John  Eld,  Esq 
Thomas  Gainsborough,  1717-1788 

Thomas  Gainsborough,  celebrated  as  a  painter  both 
of  portraits  and  landscapes,  became  one  of  the  charter 
members  of  the  Royal  Academy  in  1768,  and  lived  in 
London  from  1774.  The  Portrait  of  John  Eld,  founder 
of  the  Staffordshire  General  Infirmary,  the  design  for 
whose  fagade  he  holds  in  his  hand,  was  painted  toward 
1772.  It  had  been  kept  in  the  Infirmary  up  to 
,  May,  1912. 


he  Chant  d’ Amour  (water-color) 

Sir  Edward  Burne-Jones,  1833-1898 

“Helas!  Je  sais  un  chant  d’amour, 

Triste  on  gai,  tour  a  tour.” 

On  a  terrace  overlooking  a  meadow  before  a  mediaeval 
town  a  knight  sits  gazing  at  a  lady  who  is  singing.  With 
one  hand  she  holds  open  a  book  and  with  the  other  plays  on 
an  organ.  At  the  bellows  of  the  organ  sits  a  winged  figure, 
blindfolded,  clothed  in  red,  whose  head  is  wreathed  with 
roses.  The  subject,  steeped  in  romance  and  poetic  fancy, 
is  rendered  in  rich  color  contrasts  of  definite  claret-purple, 
subdued  scarlet,  pale  yellows,  and  atmospheric  blues.  The 
draughtsmanship  is  more  genuine  and  less  artificial  than  in 
the  artist’s  later  work,  when  he  was  striving  for  more  cor¬ 
rect  details.  This  water-color  was  painted  in  1865.  A 
larger  version  in  oils  of  the  same  subject  differing  in  some 
details  was  begun  in  1868  and  finished  in  1877. 

The  poetic  decorative  art  of  Burne-Jones  found  expres¬ 
sion  in  oils,  water-color,  and  tempera  paintings,  and  in 
scores  of  cartoons  for  stained  glass  windows,  mosaics  and 
tapestries. 


PICTURES 


AMERICAN 


193 


Early  American  Painting. 


The  earliest  portrait  painters  of  merit  in  the  colo¬ 
nies,  Smibert  and  Blackburn,  were  followed  by  John 
Singleton  Copley.  By  1774,  when  Copley  first  went 
to  England,  he  had  painted  a  collection  of  portraits 
which  give  an  intimate  picture  of  American  society 
before  the  Revolution.  (See  pp.  194,  195,  198.) 

Benjamin  West  went  to 
Italy  when  twenty -two 
years  old,  and  three  years 
later  to  England.  He 
gained  the  favor  of  King 
George  III,  helped  found 
the  Royal  Academy  and 
became  its  president  in 
1792,  after  the  death  of 
Reynolds. 

Among  West’s  pupils 
were  Charles  Wilson  Peale 
and  Gilbert  Stuart,  both 
famous  for  their  portraits 
of  Washing-ton,  and  the 
Washington  Allston  latter  the  best  of  the  early 

Miniature  by  Edward  O.Malhone  portrait  painters.  (See 
1777-1807  pp.  196,  197,  199.) 

With  Stuart  in  West’s 
studio  worked  John  Trumbull,  Robert  Fulton,  S.  F.  B. 
Morse,  Edward  G.  Malbone,  Washington  Allston  (a 
man  of  great  personal  charm,  born  in  South  Carolina), 
and  William  Dunlap.  The  Museum  contains  many 
pictures  and  sketches  by  Allston,  with  examples  of  his 
contemporaries,  John  Neagle,  Thomas  Sully  (see  p. 
200),  Henry  Inman,  W.  Page,  and  Francis  Alexander. 


194 


PIC  TURKS 


Samuel  Adams  John  Singleton  Copley,  1737-1815 


Painted  by  Copley  in  1772  at  the  order  of  John  Hancock, 
whose  likeness  was  executed  at  the  same  time.  Adams  is 
shown  addressing  the  British  governor,  Hutchinson,  the 
day  following  the  Boston  Massacre  in  1770.  He  points  to 
the  Charter  of  Massachusetts  with  his  outstretched  left 
hand,  and  grasps  his  brief,  marked  “Instructions  of  the 
Town  of  Boston,”  with  the  right. 

Lent  by  the  City  of  Boston. 


AMERICAN 


195 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  Izard  John  Singleton  Copley,  1787-1815 

In  the  spring  of  1774  Copley,  then  aged  thirty-seven, 
left  Boston  for  England.  Soon  afterwards  he  journeyed  to 
Rome  with  Mr.  Izard,  a  wealthy  planter  of  South  Carolina, 
and  his  wife.  This  picture  he  produced  the  following 
winter,  and  it  was  his  first  group  so  far  as  is  known.  It  was 
taken  back  to  England,  and  the  approach  of  the  Revolution 
having  produced  difficulties  in  Mr.  Izard’s  financial  affairs 
so  that  he  was  unable  to  pay  for  it,  it  remained  in  Copley’s 
possession  until  1825,  when  it  was  sold  to  Mr.  Izard’s 
grandson. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Izard,  with  a  table  between  them,  sit  on 
a  chair  and  sofa  upholstered  in  rose  damask  with  a  rose 
damask  curtain  at  the  back  on  one  side.  Souvenirs  of  their 
Italian  journey  surround  them.  The  picture  is  in  Copley’s 
Boston  style,  with  some  of  his  early  rigidity  apparent  in  the 
man,  but  the  lady  is  painted  in  his  best  manner. 


196 


PICTURES 


Martha  Washington  Gilbert  Stuart,  1755-1828 

These  portraits  of  Washington  and  his  wife  were  painted 
from  life  by  Gilbert  Stuart  in  the  spring  of  1796  at  Phila¬ 
delphia.  Washington,  acceding  to  the  request  of  Stuart, 
permitted  the  artist  to  keep  the  originals  and  accepted 
copies  in  their  place.  The  originals  remained  unfinished 
in  the  possession  of  Stuart  until  his  death  in  1828.  The 
portrait  of  Washington  served  in  the  production  of  many 


AMERICAN 


197 


George  Washington  Gilbert  Stuart,  1755-1828 

pictures  up  to  that  date.  Owing  to  the  large  number  of 
these  repetitions,  the  portrait  became  widely  known,  and 
it  is  regarded  as  his  standard  likeness.  The  artist’s  widow 
sold  these  studies  after  his  death  to  the  Washington  Asso¬ 
ciation,  by  which  they  were  presented  to  the  Boston 
Athenaeum  in  1831. 

Lent  by  the  Boston  Athenaeum, 


PICTURES 


198 


John  Quincy  Adams  John  Singleton  Copley,  1737-1815 


This  picture  of  the  sixth  President  of  the  United  States 
was  painted  in  1795,  when  Adams  was  twenty-seven  years  ' 
old  and  Minister  at  The  Hague. 

The  portrait  exhibits  the  sense  of  grace  arid  distinction 
for  which  Copley  strove,  though  with  some  loss  of  that 
strength  of  character  which  distinguished  his  early  work. 

It  should  be  compared  with  the  portrait  of  Adams  by 
W.  Page  painted  many  years  later. 

Lent  by  Charles  Francis  Adams. 


AMERICAN 


199 


Major-General  Henry  Knox  Gilbert  Stuart,  1755-1828 

Artillery  officer,  companion  and  adviser  of  Washington, 
Secretary  of  War  1785-1794.  Judging  from  the  age  of 
the  General,  the  portrait  belongs  to  the  time  of  Stuart’s 
ripest  production,  about  1800.  General  Knox,  well-edu¬ 
cated  and  affable,  commended  himself  to  the  artist  as  a 
brother  spirit,  and  he  is  here  the  subject  of  one  of  Stuart’s 
most  successful  portraits. 

Lent  by  the  City  of  Boston. 


200 


PICTURES 


The  Torn  Hat  Thomas  Sully,  1783-1872 


Sully  has  here  rendered  the  happy  inspiration  of  a  boy’s 
healthy,  attractive  face  seen  in  warm  sunlight  with  the 
shadows  illumined  by  reflections. 

Lent  by  Miss  Margaret  Greene. 


AMERICAN 


201 


Girl  Reading  William  Morris  Hunt,  1824-1879 

The  Museum  is  rich  in  the  work  of  William  Morris 
Hunt.  Several  other  oil  paintings,  as  well  as  a  num¬ 
ber  of  water  colors,  sketches,  and  drawings  in  charcoal, 
are  on  exhibit. on  in  the  Hunt  Memorial  Gallery,  over 
the  Library  of  the  Museum. 


202 


PICTURES 


The  Blacksmith  of  Lyme-Regis 
J.  A.  McNeill  Whistler,  1834-1903 

The  Museum  owns  also  a  companion  piece  called 
“The  Little  Rose  of  Lyme-Regis.”  Whistler’s  etch¬ 
ings  may  be  seen  in  the  print  collection. 


AMERICAN 


203 


The  rapidly  advancing  fog  warns  the  fisherman  to  return 
to  his  ship  before  it  disappears  and  he  loses  his  bearings. 

In  addition  to  this  picture,  there  are  on  exhibition  several 
water  colors  by  Homer,  and  the  painting  known  as  ‘ :  All ’s 
Well.” 


Winslow  Homer,  1836-1910 


The  Fog  Warning 


04 


PICTURES 


Caritas 


Abbott  II.  Thayer,  1849- 


Amkrican 


205 


Mother  and  Child 


George  de  Forest  Brush,  1855- 


20  6 


PICTURES 


Isabella,  or  The  Pot  of  Basil 
J.  W.  Alexander,  1856— 


Isabella,  whose  lover  has  been  murdered  by  her  brothers 
in  a  wood  near  Florence,  secretly  hides  his  head  in  a  pot,  m 
which  she  plants  sweet  basil.  The  story  is  told  in  Boc 
caccio’s  “Decamerone,”  and  in  Keats’  poem,  “Isabella 
or  the  Pot  of  Basil.” 


AMERICAN 


207 


Portrait  of  the  Misses  Boit  John  S.  Sargent,  1856- 

Born  at  Florence  of  American  parents.  Pupil  of 
Carolus-Duran.  Has  lived  mostly  in  Europe.  Painter 
of  portraits  and  of  genre  subjects. 

This  portrait,  one  of  the  first  works  of  Sargent,  and 
tvhich  contributed  to  establish  his  reputation,  was 
painted  in  1882. 

Given  by  the  heirs  of  Mr.  Edward  Darley  Boit. 


WESTERN  ART 

MUHAMMADAN  AND  EUROPEAN 


FINDING  LIST 


Page 

Gallery 

213-216 

Nearer  Orient,  2 

217,  218 

Nearer  Orient,  1 

219-222,  226-229 

Nearer  Orient,  2 

230-232 

Coptic  Corridor 

233  236  (upper) 

Nearer  Orient,  1 

236  (lower) 

Nearer  Orient,  2 

237,  239 

Tapestry 

241-244 

Gothic 

245  (upper) 

Sixteenth  Century 

245  (lower) 

.  Gothic 

246,  247  (upper) 

.  .  Sixteenth  Century 

247  (lower  left) 

Seventeenth  Century 

247  (lower  right) 

.  Textile  Study  (Ground  Floor) 

248  (upper) 

Sixteenth  Century- 

248  (lower) 

Seventeenth  Century 

249 

.  Textile  Study  (Ground  Floor) 

250-252 

Sixteenth  Century 

253 

.  Textile  Study  (Ground  Floor) 

254 

Eighteenth  Century 

255,  256 

.  Textile  Study  (Ground  Floor) 

257,  258 

Eighteenth  Century 

259 

-  Textile  Study  (Ground  Floor) 

260 

Forecourt  Room  (Ground  Floor) 

261-264 

Eighteenth  Century 

266,  267 

Picture  Reserve 

268 

Galleries  of  Paintings,  VII 

The  Custodian  will  give 

information  regarding  changes  of 

Installation  since  the  Handbook  was  printed. 


Ground  Floor 

Tx  and  WA  indicate  the  Textile  Study  and  the 
office  of  the  Department 


MUHAMMADAN 


211 


The  Nearer  Orient 

Saracen,  meaning  **  Eastern,”  was  a  term  applied 
first  to  the  Arabs,  later  to  all  Muhammadans,  and  in  the 
Middle  Ages  to  all  Eastern  opponents  of  the  Crusades. 
There  were  many  centres  of  Saracenic  art  at  different 
periods  of  the  Arab  Conquest,  including  Central  Asia, 
India,  the  Euphrates  country,  Syria,  Egypt,  Morocco, 
Spain,  Sicily,  and  Turkey.  Some  of  these  developments 
we  designate  by  special  names,  as  Persian,  Indian,  or 
Moorish  art;  but  all  are  related  to  one  another.  In 
some  respects  the  most  important  examples  of  the  Sara¬ 
cenic  style  are  found  in  Egypt  because  of  the  almost 
continuous  record  furnished  by  the  mosques  of  Cairo, 
which  show,  in  their  simple  lines  and  restrained  decora¬ 
tion,  the  purest  form  of  the  art  as  distinguished  from 
the  more  fanciful  outgrowth  in  Spain  or  India. 

Much  light  has  been  thrown  on  the  ceramic  art  of 
the  Arabs  within  the  last  few  years  by  excavations  at 
Rakka  and  other  ruined  cities  of  Syria  and  Persia.  The 
pottery  from  Rakka  seems  to  be  of  the  earliest  origin 
(ninth  to  twelfth  century),  and  some  of  it  bears  a  strong 
likeness  to  the  blue  glazed  jars  found  at  Babylon.  The 
rubbish  heaps  of  Postal  (Old  Cairo,  destroyed  about 
1163)  and  of  Kus,  near  Luxor,  have  yielded  fragments 
of  dishes,  the  most  interesting  being  decorated  with  a 
brilliant  ruby  and  gold  lustre  on  a  white  tin  enamel 
ground,  which  method  of  enamelling  was  employed  on 
the  glazed  Egyptian  pottery  dating  as  early  as  1500 
B.  C.  Similarly  lustred  tiles  have  been  found  at 
Rhages,  Sultanieh,  and  Veramin  in  Persia,  and  it  is 
not  yet  possible  to  decide  whether  the  art  was  carried 
from  Egypt  to  Persia  or  vice  versa.  But  the  former 
seems  more  probable,  since  the  earliest  dated  tile  is  of 
the  twelfth  century,  and  a  noted  Persian  traveller  of 
the  eleventh  century  speaks  with  enthusiasm  of  the 
lustred  pottery  which  he  saw  at  Fostat  as  being  an  art 


212 


WESTERN  ART 


unknown  to  him.  Many  of  these  tiles  bear  inscriptions, 
floral  scrolls,  and  figures  with  strongly-marked  Mongo¬ 
lian  features,  which  suggests  that  they  may  have  been 
produced  by  some  of  the  Chinese  workmen  brought 
into  Persia  with  Chinghiz  Khan  early  in  the  thirteenth 
century. 

Pots  and  bowls  of  the  thirteenth  and  fourteenth  cen¬ 
turies,  from  Syria,  are  painted  in  blue  and  greenish- 
black  under  a  glass  glaze.  The  lustred  dishes  and 
vases  made  by  the  Moors  in  Spain  and  Sicily  in  the 
fifteenth  century,  and  later  by  the  Italians  at  Gubbio 
and  Urbino,  all  bear  a  family  resemblance  to  the  tiles 
and  fragments,  although  the  styles  of  decoration  vary. 
The  pottery  made  under  Turkish  influence  at  Rhodes, 
Damascus,  and  Kutahia  date  from  the  fifteenth  century  ; 
and  in  the  sixteenth  century  factories  were  established 
at  Koubacha,  in  Daghestan;  at  Kirman  in  the  seven¬ 
teenth  century,  and  at  Kashan  and  Bokhara  in  the 
eighteenth  century.  Lustred  semi-porcelain  was  pro¬ 
duced  in  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries  in 
Persia,  the  colors  being  golden  yellow  or  pale  green 
lustre  on  dark  blue,  or  ruby  lustre  on  white. 

The  Arabs  worked  in  many  metals,  and  the  examples 
remaining  to  us  show  delicate  pierced  scrolls  or  elabo¬ 
rate  inlay  in  gold  and  silver,  as  well  as  engraved  medal¬ 
lions,  inscription  and  figures,  or  the  damascened  gold 
ornament  so  generally  found  on  the  sword  blades  for 
which  Damascus  was  noted.  A  few  carved  ivory  panels 
of  the  thirteenth  century  are  still  in  existence;  and 
beautiful  mosque  lamps  of  glass  with  colored  enamel 
decoration  are  found  in  several  European  collections. 
Among  the  illuminated  manuscripts,  the  Koran,  con¬ 
taining  the  teachings  of  the  prophet  Muhammad,  is  the 
most  important  book  of  the  Arabs.  The  highest  art 
of  the  period  is  lavished  on  its  two  title  pages,  which 
are  ornamented  with  beautifully  written  texts  set  in 
elaborate  and  delicate  floral  scrolls,  painted  in  red,  blue, 


MUHAMMADAN 


213 


green,  and  gold;  and  the  carved,  gilded,  and  painted 
leather  bindings  have  also  great  charm.  Some  of  the 
greatest  treasures  of  the  Khedivial  Library  in  Cairo 
are  early  copies  of  the  Koran  which  were  made  for  the 
Sultans.  The  Makamat  of  Hariri  is  another  famous 
book.  The  works  of  the  Persian  poets  have  come 
down  to  us  in  illustrated  form.  F.  V.  P. 

Books. —  Ameer  Ali,  Short  History  of  the  Saracens;  Lane- 
Poole,  Saracenic  Art;  Wallis.  Persian  Lustre  Vases;  Migeon, 
Manuel  d'  Art  Musulman ;  Exposition  des  Arts  Musulman,  Paris, 
1903;  Max  Herz  Bey.  Catalogue  Musee  National  de  V Art  Arahe, 
Cairo;  Sarre,  Denkmdler  Persischer  Baukunst;  Sarre  and  Martin , 
Meisterwerke  Muhammadan esclie  Kunst,  Munchen;  Artin,  Con¬ 
tribution  a  V Etude  du  Blason  en  Orient;  Calvert,  Moorish 
Remains  in  Spain;  Bourgoin,  Les  Art  Arabes;  Egerton,  Indian 
Arms  and  Armor  in  the  Indian  Museum;  Schmoranz,  Oriental 
Enamelled  Glass,  Vienna,  1899 ;  Poole,  Art  of  the  Saracens  in 
Egypt;  F.  R.  Martin,  The  Miniature  Painting  of  Persia,  India, 
and  Turkey,  1912;  History  of  Oriental  Carpets  before  1800; 
Schulz,  Persische  Islamische  Miniaturemalerei;  Marteau  and 
Vever,  Miniatures  Persanes;  Riviere,  La  Ceramique  dans  V Art 
Musulman-,  Schmoranz,  Old  Oriental  Gilt  and  Enamelled  Glass 
Vessels. 

Journal  of  Indian  Art:  Burlington  Fine  Arts  Club  Exhibition 
Catalogues ,  1885  and  1908: 


Shracenic  Glass  Globe 


Thirteenth  Century 


214 


WESTERN  ART 


Pulpit  Door  from  a  mosque  in  Cairo  with  carved  and 
inlaid  ebony  and  ivory  panels;  inscribed,  Honor  to 
our  Master  the  Sultan  El  Malek  El  Zaher  Barquoq.  May 
God  make  glorious  his  reign.”  Fourteenth  century. 


MUHAMMADAN 


215 


Probably  from  Sulianabad 


Syrian  Enameled  Glass  Twelfth  to  Thirteenth  Century 

Boss  Collection 


2l6 


WESTERN  ART 


Persian  Tile  Thirteenth  Century 


Star-Tile:  a  rare  specimen  of  Persian  art  dated,  in  its 
inscription,  657  of  Hegira  (1259  A.  D.).  It  is  probably 
from  Veramin,  a  town  in  Northern  Persia,  and  its  date 
puts  it  in  the  period  of  the  Mongol  invasions  and  within  a 
year  of  the  fall  of  the  Baghdad  Caliphate,  one  of  the  great 
events  in  the  history  of  the  nearer  East.  This  particular 
tile  is  reproduced  in  Dr.  Martin’s  great  work  on  Persian 
Carpets.  There  are  other  and  very  interesting  examples  of 
the  same  art  in  the  Museum. 


MUHAMMADAN 


217 


Turkish  ceramic 
wares  were  influ¬ 
enced  bv  both 
Persia  and  China. 
This  plate  belongs 
to  a  class  usually 
called  Rhodian, 
although  it  was 
probably  made  in 
one  of  the  mainland 
cities  of  Asia  Minor. 
The  main  design  of 
the  plate  shows 
flowers  of  the  field. 
The  border  design 


Turkish  Plate  Sixteenth  Century  has  been  inter¬ 

preted  as  represent¬ 
ing  the  clouds  and  the  sky.  The  cypress  tree  (in  the  centre 
of  the  plate),  the  thistle  leaf,  the  rose,  the  tulip,  the  wild 
hyacinth,  and  the  carnation  are  familiar  in  the  designs  of 
Persian  textiles. 


The  beauty  of 
this  plate,  from  the 
Caucasus  country 
of  Daghestan,  is 
found  in  the  har¬ 
mony  of  its  colors: 
greens,  reds,  and 
browns,  upon  a  soft 
yellow  -  brown 
ground  which  is 
further  enriched  by 
the  crackle  of  the 
glaze.  The  plate 
was  perhaps  a  wed¬ 
ding  present. 


Plate  from  Koubacha,  Daghestan 
Sixteenth  Century 


2l8 


WESTERN  ART 


Hispano-Moresque  Drug  Vase  and  Plate 
Valencia,  Spain,  Fifteenth  Century 

The  best  known  Hispano-Moresque  ware  was  made  near 
Valencia,  Spain,  in  the  fifteenth  century.  The  lustre  was 
produced  by  the  action  of  heated  smoke  on  the  metallic 
oxides  which  are  applied  over  the  white  enamel  glaze. 
Lustred  ornament  is  also  characteristic  of  much  Persian 
and  Arabic  work.  The  Moorish  potters  of  Spain  worked 
for  Christian  patrons.  Lustred  arms,  representing  mar¬ 
riage  alliances  which  may  be  dated,  appear  on  many 
pieces,  and  by  this  means  the  sequence  of  the  decorative 
patterns  is  determined. 

The  vine  leaves  on  the  “Albarello”  or  Drug  Vase  shown 
in  the  illustration  are  alternately  in  blue  and  in  light 
brown  lustre,  the  blue  leaves  being  under  the  glaze  and 
the  lustred  leaves  upon  it.  The  wild  bryony,  a  local  plant 
of  Valencia,  appears  in  blue  and  lustre  as  the  principal 
decoration  of  the  plate.  In  the  centre  of  the  plate  is  the 
monogram  I  H  S,  which  was  widely  popularized  in  the  fif¬ 
teenth  century  by  San  Bernardino  of  Siena.  Valencia  pot¬ 
tery  was  often  exported  to  Florence,  Siena,  and  Venice. 


MUHAMMADAN 


219 


Title-page  from  a  Koran  of  the  fourteenth  century. 
Written  in  Moghribi  characters  and  illuminated  in  gold, 
dull  green,  and  brown.  North  African. 

Ross  Collection. 


220 


WESTERN  ART 


Noah's  Ark  in  Ornamental  Arabic  Script 
From  Egypt,,  Thirteenth  to  Fifteenth  Century 
Ross  Collection 


Kwfic  Script  from  a  Koran  Ninth  to  Tenth  Century 

Ross  Collection 


MUHAMMADAN 


221 


Persian  Gilded  Leather  Book-binding 
Sixteenth  Century 


Ross  Collection 


WESTERN  ART 


Male  Figure  on  a  Throne  Arabic  Painting 
Egyptian  or  Mesopotamian ,  late  Twelfth  Century 

Goloubew  Collection 


MUHAMMADAN 


223 


Persian  Painting 

The  beginnings  of  Persian  painting  go  back,  accord¬ 
ing  to  Persian  tradition,  to  Mani,  a  religious  teacher, 
the  founder  of  Manichasism,  crucified  in  A.  D.  276. 
And  in  fact  the  remains  of  early  Persian  or  Sassanian 
painting  are  associated  with  the  fragments  of  ancient 
Manichaean  MSS.  discovered  in  the  ruins  of  Central 
Asian  cities.  Subsequently  there  arose  a  Muham¬ 
madan  civilization  centred  on  the  one  hand  in  Eastern 
Persia  and  Turkestan,  in  the  cities  of  Herat,  in 
Khurasan  and  in  Bokhara,  and  on  the  other  under 
Arab  domination  in  Mesopotamia  and  Baghdad. 
Nothing  remains  of  the  early  painting  of  the  Eastern 
School,  but  two  or  three  Arabian  MSS.  of  the  thirteenth 
century  survive.  Pages  from  the  Dioscorides  MS., 
dated  1222,  and  from  an  early  work  on  Automata  are 
represented  in  the  Museum  collections.  These  are 
magnificent  examples  of  draughtsmanship,  relying  more 
on  outline  than  on  color,  and  with  some  flavor  of 
Byzantine  feeling  still  perceptible  in  them.  The 
Arabian  culture  of  Western  Persia  was  almost  destroyed 
by  the  Mongol  invaders  in  the  thirteenth  century,  but 
these  appalling  disasters  also  prepared  the  wray  for  the 
foundation  of  Persian  unity  and  the  development  of 
Persian  art,  as  commonly  understood.  The  Mongols 
adopted  the  manners  of  civilization :  Chinese  culture 
was  their  model,  and  though  at  first  they  wrere  unre¬ 
lenting  enemies  of  Islam,  in  1281  they  adopted  the 
faith  of  their  subjects  and  became  to  all  intents  and 
purposes  Persians. 

Persian  art  of  the  fourteenth  century  is  dominated 
by  Far  Eastern  (Mongol)  influences.  The  drawings 
show  fine  nervous  strokes,  with  calligraphic  tendencies, 
and  little  color,  in  place  of  the  flowing  Arabic  outline. 
The  great  illustrated  MSS.  are  either  medical  or  his¬ 
torical  ;  the  finest  examples  are  the  Manafi  al  Hayawan 


WESTERN  ART 


224 

of  the  Morgan  Collection  and  the  Jami  al  Tawarikh  of 
London  and  Edinburgh.  The  same  Far  Eastern  influ¬ 
ences  are  recognizable  during  the  fifteenth  century 
under  the  Timurids,  but  the  themes  of  Persian  epic  and 
lyrical  poetry  are  constantly  chosen  lor  illustration; 
the  Museum  possesses  excellent  examples  from  the 
Goloubew  and  Ross  Collections,  illustrating  the  Shah 
Namah  of  Firdawsi  and  the  Kharnsa  of  Nizami  (stories 
of  Shirin  and  Farhad,  Laila  and  Majnun,  etc.). 

The  most  famous  individual  Persian  painter  is  Bihzad 
(ca.  1450-1525),  who  is  unrivalled  in  the  extraordinary 
fineness  of  his  brush  lines  and  the  jewelled  quality  ot 
his  color.  As  a  portrait  painter  he  is  somewhat  oi  an 
innovator,  and  his  choice  of  subjects  dervishes  and 
teachers,  with  comparative  neglect  of  epic  and  warlike 
themes  —  shows  a  more  spiritual  tendency  than  is  usual 
in  Persian  art.  It  is  to  be  noticed  in  this  connection 
that  Persian  painting,  with  very  rare  exceptions  of 
scenes  from  the  life  of  the  Prophet,  particularly  the 
Ascension,  is  purely  a  secular  art  a  necessary  conse¬ 
quence  of  the  orthodox  Muhammadan  attitude  towards 
the  arts  of  representation.  Islam  has  tolerated  but 
not  inspired  the  painter. 

Persian  painting  continues  to  flourish  under  the 
Safavids  in  the  sixteenth  century.  The  Museum  pos¬ 
sesses  fine  examples  from  the  Goloubew  Collection  by 
Sultan  Muhammad  and  Aga  Mirak,  pupils  of  Bihzad. 

In  the  seventeenth  century,  in  the  time  ot  Shah 
Abbas  and  bis  court  painter,  Riza  A’obasi,  Persian  art 
is  already  in  decadence.  It  has  become  an  art  of 
display  more  than  of  feeling,  and  the  brilliant  draughts¬ 
manship  is  acrobatic  in  looking  at  one  ot  these^  calli¬ 
graphic  drawings  one  remarks  involuntarily  How 
clever!”  rather  than  ‘‘How  fine!  '  Every  figure  is 
dressed  in  the  height  of  an  elegant  fashion,  and 
charming  ladies  are  reclining  at  their  ease  on  flowery 
lawns,  where  all  is  for  the  best  in  the  best  ot  all 


Muhammadan 


22$ 


possible  worlds, — -the  world  of  Watteau,  to  offer  a 
western  analogy.  What  is  vital  in  Persian  painting  at 
this  time  survived  in  India  rather  than  in  Persia 
proper;  the  tradition  of  Bihzad  is  still  to  be  recog¬ 
nized,  especially  in  portraiture,  in  Mughal  painting  of 
the  schools  of  Akbar  and  Jahangir.  A.  K.  C. 


226 


WESTERN  ART 


A  Princess  A  Prisoner  of  War 

Persian  Painting ,  Sixteenth  Century  Style  of  Mir  ah  Persian  Painting ,  about  1500  Behzad  School 

Boss  Collection  Goloubew  Collection 


MUHAMMADAN 


22  7 


Figure  Seated  under  a  Willow  Tree,  by  Aga  Riza  Lovers  in  a  Garden,  by  Aga  Mirah 

Persian  Painting,  about  1560  Persian  Painting,  about  1500 

Goloubew  Collection 


228 


WESTERN  ART 


Title  Pages  vf  a  Koran 


Boss 


MUHAMMADAN 


229 


Persian,  Sixteenth  Century 


Collection 


230 


WESTERN  ART 


Egyptian  Tapestry  First  to  Fourth  Century,  A.D. 

Weavings 

From  the  East  came  the  arts  of  weaving  and  needle  work, 
and  with  the  mechanical  knowledge  came  also  the  designs. 
As  pupils  follow  their  teachers  closely  at  first,  so  the  Euro¬ 
pean  countries  followed  the  Oriental  ones,  using  many  of 
their  motives,  and  strong  Oriental  feeling  is  found  in  the 
early  weavings  of  Italy  and  Spain.  Tapestry  weaving,  as 
the  simplest  form  of  the  art,  was  practised  by  many  primi¬ 
tive  peoples.  The  earliest  and  crudest  pieces  owned  by  the 
Museum  come  from  the  Coptic  graves  of  Egypt,  first  to 
eighth  century  A.D.  (see  above  and  p.  232),  and  from  the 
graves  of  Peru  (see  p.23 1 ).  These  latter  pieces  were  made 
before  the  invasion  of  that  country  by  Pizarro  in  1531.  The 
looms  used  at  present  in  the  French  tapestry  works  at 
Paris  are  made  on  the  same  principles  as  those  upon  which 
the  Coptic  pieces  w'ere  woven.  By  the  fifteenth  and 
sixteenth  centuries  tapestry  weaving  had  reached  its 
greatest  height  in  Europe,  and  the  Museum  is  fortu¬ 
nate  in  owning  two  beautiful  examples  of  the  work 
of  Flanders  at  that  period  (see  pp.  237-239).  Of 
later  date  (seventeenth  and  eighteenth  centuries)  are 
the  pieces  in  the  Collection  from  the  Brussels  and 
French  workshops  (see  p.  241 ).  From  China  and 
Japan,  in  addition  to  the  large  Chinese  tapestry  illus¬ 
trated  on  p.  372,  are  many  smaller  pieces  made  of  silk. 
Oriental  rugs,  like  tapestry,  are  still  woven  by  hand,  and 


MUHAMMADAN 


231 


with  as  simple  looms  as  those  that  were  in  use  many  hun¬ 
dred  years  ago.  In  spite  of  the  great  improvement  made 
in  machinery  by  the  Europeans  and  Americans,  the  Ori¬ 
entals,  with  their  hand  looms  and  vegetable  dyes,  still  sur¬ 
pass  all  other  peoples  in  the  beauty  and  durability  of  their 
rugs.  Of  the  remainder  of  the  Collection,  the  larger  part 
of  the  weavings  consists  of  velvets,  brocades,  and  damasks 
from  Persia,  Turkey,  Italy,  Spain,  and  France.  The  Per¬ 
sian,  Turkish,  and  Italian  pieces  are  especially  noteworthy 
for  their  beauty  of  color,  material,  and  texture.  S.  G,  F. 

Books.  —  Alan  S.  Cole,  Ornament  in  European  Silks;  Dupont- 
Auberville,  L'Ormmentdes  Tissue,  F.  Fischbach,  Textile  Fabrics; 
Julius  Lessing,  Gewebesammlung  des  Kdniglichen  Kunstgewerbe 
Museums  zu  Berlin;  Otto  v.  Falke,  KunstgeschicMe  der  Seiden 
Weberei;  Jules  Guiffrey,  Les  Tapisseries  du  XII®  a  la  Fin  du 
XVI”  Sciecle;  Maurice  Fenaille,  Etat  General  des  Tapisseries  de 
la  Manufacture  des  Gobelins  depuis  son  origins  jusqu' d  nos  jours; 
George  Leland  Hunter,  Tapestries :  Their  Origin,  History ,  and 
Renaissance;  Eugene  Muentz,  A  Short  History  of  Tapestry; 
W.  G.  Thomson,  History  of  Tapestry;  Mrs.  A.  H,  Christie,  Em¬ 
broidery  and  Tapestry  Weaving;  Royal  Imperial  Austrian 
Museum,  Vienna,  Oriental  Carpets ,  Ancient  Oriental  Carpets; 
John  Kimberly  Mumford,  Oriental  Rugs;  F.  R.  Martin,  A 
History  of  Oriental  Carpets  before  1800.  All  of  these  books 
may  be  consulted  in  the  Museum.  Library. 


■  Peruvian  Tapestries  Before  the  Conquest ,  Bate  Unknown 
»  These  pieces  were  found  wrapped  around  mummies- 


232 


WESTERN  ART 


A  winged  figure,  eighteen  and 
one-half  inches  in  height.  This 
piece,  which  shows  strongly 
both  in  the  design  and  coloring 
the  influence  which  the  art  of 
Byzantium  had  upon  that  of 
Egypt,  was  found  in  a  Coptic 
grave  at  Akhmim.  The  ground 
as  in  many  of  the  Coptic  tex¬ 
tiles  is  of  natural  colored  linen, 
while  the  design  is  woven  with 
colored  wools.  The  wings  sug¬ 
gest  the  possibility  that  the 
figure  represents  an  angel.  The 
drawing  is  crude;  the  color  of 
the  flesh,  hair,  and  wings,  purple 
brown  ;  the  tunic,  red ;  and 
skirt,  green. 


Egyptian  Tapestry 


Third,  to  Seventh  Century,  A.D. 
the  Church  of  San  Vitale  at 


Egyptian  Tapestry 
Third  to  Eighth  Century , A.D. 


Also  from  Coptic  graves 
at  Akhmim.  In  the  drawing 
and  composition  of  this  de¬ 
sign,  a  rabbit  nibbling  a 
bunch  of  grapes,  Roman  in¬ 
fluence  is  very  strongly  felt, 
but  the  brilliancy  of  the  col¬ 
ors  — -  browns,  pinks  and 
greens  —  suggests  the  art  of 
Byzantium.  The  ground  is 
linen,  the  pattern  wool. 
Squares  like  this  were  ap¬ 
plied  to  garments.  Illustra¬ 
tions  of  their  use  can  be  seen 
in  the  mosaic  of  the  Empress 
Theodora  and  her  court,  in 
Ravenna. 


MUHAMMADAN 


233 


Turkish  Prayer  Rug  Ghwntes,  Seventeenth  Century 

Central  field,  white;  ground  of  main  border,  dull  blue. 
Design  in  blue,  red,  white,  and  amber. 


Pile,  silk;  six  hun¬ 
dred  knots  to  the 


234 


WESTERN  ART 


*  "O 

os  a 

3  o 
c*  t 
»  O 


k*  cn 
O  £ 

o  £ 

o 

e+H  cp 

o 

T3 
r*  <L> 


1  c 

I  c3 
'  -Q 


-  S> 

1  >>¥  j 

-rj  0) 

C  ^  ."2 

so® 


_  o  m, 

“  Mi 

i  -c  _ 

o  gj  2 

a  S 

c  ^ 


O  ' 
o 

.  U 


a  3 

<u 

5  c 


MUHAMMADAN 


235 


Rug,  probably  Persian  ( called  Polish )  Seventeenth  Century 


This  rug,  which  is  woven  with  silk,  silver,  and  gold, 
was  probably  made  in  Persia  for  a  royal  gift.  The 
name  is  derived  from  a  pretty  well  refuted  theory  that 
these  rugs  had  their  origin  in  Poland 


236 


WESTERN  ART 


Turkish  or  Persian  Velvets 


Ground,  purple  brown. 
Bold  design  in  dark  red, 
gold,  and  touches  of 
bright  yellow. 


Ground,  red.  Design, 
yellow  silk  wound  with 
metal. 


Ground, 
crimson  satin. 
Design,  groups 
of  two  figures; 
one  with  an 
axe  over  its 
shoulder  leads 
the  other  fig- 
ure  by  a 
string;  trees 
and  flowers; 
colors,  p  al  e 
green,  yellow, 
white,  and 
black. 


Persian  Brocade  Sixteenth  Century 


The  Creation  of  Eve,  the  Baptism  of  Christ,  the  Nativity,  and  the  Crucifixion 


WESTERN  ART 


238 

The  tapestry  on  the  preceding-  page  is  woven  with 
silk  and  wool.  Seated  at  the  base  of  the  columns  that 
divide  the  tapestry  are  Jeremiah,  Peter,  David,  Andrew, 
Isaiah,  James,  Hozea,and  John.  Running  through  the 
lower  part  of  the  tapestry  are  two  ribbons;  on  one  is 
part  of  the  Apostles’  Creed  :  Credo  in  Deum  patrem 
omnipotent,  Creatorem  celi  (coeli)  et  terrae  et  in 
ihesum  (Jesum)  Xpristum  (Christum)  Filium  e(j)us 
unic(um)  Domi(n)um  nost(r)um.  Qui  conceptus  est  de 
Spiritu  Sancto  natus  ex  Maria  Virgine  passus  sub  Poncio 
Pylato  erucifixus  mortuus  et  sepult(us)  ” :  “I  believe 
In  God  the  Father  Almighty,  Maker  of  heaven  and 
earth  ;  and  in  Jesus  Christ,  His  only  Son  our  Lord, 
Who  was  conceived  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  born  of  the 
Virgin  Mary,  suffered  under  Pontius  Pdate,  was  cruci¬ 
fied,  dead  and  buried.”  On  the  other  are  Patrem 
invocabimus  qui  terran  (m)  fecit  et  condidit  C(o)elos” : 
We  will  call  upon,  or  pray  to,  the  Father  who  made 
the  earth  and  founded  the  heavens;  and  the  follow¬ 
ing  lines  from  the  Old  Testament:  Dominus  dixit  ad 
me  filius  meus  es  tu  ”  :  The  Lord  said  unto  me,  Thou 
art  my  sou  ”  (Psalms  ii.  7);  “  Ecce  virgo  concipiet  et 
pariet  filium  4  Behold,  a  Virgin  shall  conceive  and 
bear  a  son  ”  (Isaiah  vii.  4);  “O  mors  oro  mors  tua 
morsus  tuus  ero  inferne  ”  (  Fro  mors  tua,  O  mors! 
morsus  tuus  ero,  inferne  ”):  ‘  O  death,  where  are  thy 

plagues?  O  grave,  where  is  thy  destruction?  ”  (Hosea 
xiii.  14).  Letters  decorate  Isaiah’s  garments,  the  loin 
cloth  of  Christ,  the  robes  of  the  Virgin  and  Joseph,  and 
the  hat  and  scabbard  of  the  man  standing  at  the  right 
of  the  tapestry.  On  the  scroll  borne  by  an  angel  is 
“Gloria  in  exsexlis  (excelsis)  Deo  et  in  ter”  (  4  ra  pax 
hominibus  bonae  voluntatis  “Glory  to  God  in  the 
highest,  and  on  earth  peace,  good  will  toward  men” 
(Luke  ii.  14). 

See  the  Museum  of  Fine  Arts  Bulletin,  February,  1909, 
Vol.  10,  Whole  No.  37,  pp.  5-7. 


EUROPEAN1 


239 


The  Crossing  of  the  Red  Sea 

Flemish  Tapestry  Late  Fifteenth  or  early  Sixteenth.  Century 


240 


WESTERN  ART 


The  foregoing  tapestry  is  the  product  of  the  best 
period  of  the  art  in  Flanders.  On  the  left,  Pharaoh  on  a 
richly  caparisoned  horse,  crowned  and  brandishing  a  sword, 
rides  in  the  midst  of  his  disheartened  soldiers,  urging  them 
to  press  forward  in  spite  of  the  constantly  rising  waters, 
while  Moses  upon  the  shore,  calm  and  complacent,  points 
out  to  the  Israelites  the  contrast  between  their  position,  the 
chosen  people  of  the  Lord,  and  that  of  their  oppressors,  the 
Egyptians.  The  safety  and  comfort  of  the  Israelites  is  em¬ 
phasized  still  further  by  the  land  on  which  they  stand,  car¬ 
peted  with  exquisite  flowers  of  many  varieties  and  shaded 
by  tall  trees.  The  people  are  represented  in  the  dress  and 
style  of  the  artist’s  own  period.  The  Egyptians  wear  the 
armor  of  the  fifteenth  century,  the  Israelites,  the  costume 
of  civilians  of  that  time.  The  areas  occupied  by  the  vari¬ 
ous  colors  —  greens,  blues,  reds,  and  soft  dull  tans  —  are 
proportioned  so  as  to  give  a  very  harmonious  effect.  Silk 
and  gold  add  light  and  richness.  The  whole  is  surrounded 
by  a  compact  border  of  flowering  branches  tied  with  ribbor 


EUROPEAN 


241 


French  Tapestry 


The  Efficacy  of  the  Sacrament 

Early  Sixteenth  Century 


Two  scenes,  the  legends  beneath  explaining  their  sig¬ 
nificance. 

“Par  la  vertu  du  Sacrament 
Fut  demonstre  ung  grant  miracle 
Car  le  diable  visiblement 
Sortit  hors  dung  demoniaele.'’ 

(The  power  of  the  Sacrament  was  demonstrated  by  a 
great  miracle,  for  the  devil  was  seen  to  pass  out  of  a  man 
possessed.) 

“Ung  payen  sans  honneur  passa 
Par  devant  le  sainct  Sacrament 
Mais  son  cheval  se  humilia 
Puys  crut  le  payen  fermement.” 

(A  pagan  passed  before  the  Holy  Sacrament  without 
homage.  His  horse,  however,  abased  itself;  whereupon 
the  pagan  became  a  firm  believer.) 


24^ 


WESTERN  ART 


Madonna  and  Child  in  a  Niche  Luca  della  Robbia  ( lJfOO-1482 ) 

According  to  Luca’s  wont  he  has  immortalized  in 
tli  is  relief  a  beautiful  young  Florentine  mother  and 
baby  of  his  time.  The  double  curve  of  the  Madonna’s 
veil  and  her  mantle  gracefully  balance  the  winding 
line  of  the  Child’s  head  and  body.  A  counterpart  of 
the  relief  in  the  collection  of  Mrs.  George  T.  Bliss  of 
New  York  differs  from  it  in  various  minor  particulars. 


Bust  of  a  Youth,  of  Marble  Italian,  Fifteenth  Century 
Style  of  Mino  da  Fiesole 

No  external  evidence  exists  regarding  the  authorship 
of  this  bust,  but  the  peculiar  refinement  of  execution 
and  delicacy  of  sentiment  which  mark  it  are  character¬ 
istic  also  of  the  known  works  of  Mino  da  Fiesole.  The 
downcast  eyes  suggest  that  the  head  may  have  been 
modelled  from  a  death-mask. 


EUROPEAN 


44 


WESTERN  ART 


Virgin  and  Child  Pietd 

French,  Fourteenth  Century  French ,  End  of  Fifteenth  Century 


EUROPEAN 


245 


F 


Chest  with  Pierced  Panels 
Italian,  Fifteenth  to  Sixteenth  Century 


Front  Panel  of  a  Chest 
French,  late  Fifteenth  Century 


246 


WESTERN  ART 


Wood  Panels,  Flamboyant  Gothic,  Sixteenth  Century 


To  see  the  great  cathedrals  of  the  Gothic  age  one  must 
journey  from  place  to  place  in  western  Europe,  but  the 
spirit  of  the  time  is  felt  in  even  its  smallest  works.  The 
torso  of  the  Madonna  and  Child  pictured  on  page  247 
represents  the  style  of  the  Pisani;  the  small  ivory 
carving  is  French  work  of  the  fourteenth  century. 
The  elaborate  metal  cross  is  later. 

The  successive  stages  in  the  progress  of  Gothic  design  are 
often  marked  by  characteristic  patterns  in  the  tracery  or 
frame  work  of  the  glass  of  windows.  In  the  earlier  period 
these  were  quite  simple:  later  they  became  connected 
geometric  patterns,  which  in  time  often  changed  to  a  design 
of  flowing  and  complex  curves.  These  window  tracery 
patterns  were  applied  to  stone  surfaces,  to  wood  carving, 
and  in  fact,  wherever  ornament  was  used.  The  wood  panels 
pictured  here  are  all  of  late  design  and  belong  to  Northern 
Europe,  where  the  Gothic  style  held  its  own  long  after 
Renaissance  ornament  derived  from  classic  art  had  taken 
its  place  in  Italy. 


EUROPEAN 


247 


Madonna  and  Child,  Marble 
Italy,  Thirteenth  Century 


Madonna  and  Angels,  Ivory 
France,  Fourteenth  Century 


Processional  Cross,  Metal 
Fifteenth  Century 


Venetian  Glass  Bowl 
Sixteenth  Century 


248 


WESTERN  ART 


Italian  Majolica  Plate 
Urbino,  Sixteenth  Century 


The  polychrome 
decoration  of  Ital¬ 
ian  Majolica  often 
represents  portraits 
and  Greek  and 
Roman  mythologi¬ 
cal  or  historical 
scenes.  This  plate 
shows  a  Renais¬ 
sance  treatment  of 
the  story  of  the 
conversion  of  the 
Emperor  Constan¬ 
tine,  312  A. I).  The 
sleeping  Emperor 
sees  in  a  dream  an 
angel  above  him 
holding  in  one  hand  the  Cross  and  in  the  other  a  scroll 
on  which  are  the  words  “In  hoc  signo  vinces.  Attendants 
bearing  the  Emperor  s  sword  and  armor  stand  at  the  right. 

Chinese  porcelain,  brought  to  Europe  by  trading  vessels 
in  the  sixteenth, 
seventeenth,  and 
eighteenth  centu¬ 
ries,  was  imitated 
in  pottery  in  Hol¬ 
land  at  Delft  and 
its  neighborhood. 

The  chief  charm 
of  Delft  ware  is 
its  deep  blue  and 
white  enamelled 
decoration,  but  it 
lacks  the  hardness 
and  translucency 
of  its  Chinese 
models. 


Blue  and  White  Delft  Pottery 


Book  of  Hours  with  calendar  written  in  Latin,  on  veiium,  with  parchment  binding. 
French,  early  fifteenth  century.  Ross  Collection. 


250 


WESTERN  ART 


EUROPEAN 


251 


s 

_<D 
ffS  "C 

c 

3 


Q-rS 


a  12 


Italian  or  Spanish  Brocade  Fifteenth  Century 


2  Cj2 


WESTERN  ART 


Ground,  red;  de¬ 
sign  of  arabesques 
and  clovers  in  red, 
green,  yellow,  and 
white.  This  damask 
shows  strongly  the 
Moorish  influence 
upon  Spanish  work. 


Spanish  Damask 
Fourteenth  to  Sixteenth  Century 


Ground  woven 
with  white,  blue,  and 
salmon  pink  silk  and 
narrow  strips  of  thin 
silver.  Design,  of 
both  cut.  and  uncut 
velvet,  in  blue  and 
pink. 


Italian  Velvet  Sixteenth  Century 


EUROPEAN 


253 


Sicilian  Drawn-work  {punto  tirato  or  tela  tirata ) 
Seventeenth  Century 

Lace 

Lace  is  divided  into  two  classes,  needle  point  or  point  lace, 
made  with  a  needle  and  loop  stitch,  and  bobbin  or  pillow 
lace,  woven  on  a  pillow  by  the  use  of  bobbins  and  pins. 
Netting  and  knotted  fringes  have  been  found  in  Egyptian 
graves,  and  they,  as  well  as  delicate  open  materials,  to  which 
embroidery  was  added,  were  made  in  the  East  at  an  early 
date.  But  we  have  no  proof  that  real  lace  was  made  before 
the  fifteenth  century,  when  we  find  it  decorating  the  cos¬ 
tumes  of  people  in  pictures.  The  first  point  lace  is  a  de¬ 
velopment  of  embroidery  and  was  made  by  drawing  threads 
from  linen  and  binding  together  in  groups  those  that  were 
left,  to  form  a  pattern.  Then  openings  were  cut  in  the 
linen  and  partially  filled  with  needle  work,  the  linen  being 
enriched  with  embroidery.  These  laces  are  known  as 
drawn-work  and  cut-work.  Next  came  reticella,  in  which  it 
is  often  difficult  to  see  the  linen  foundation.  Floral  designs 
were  first  used  in  punto  in  aria  (stitch  in  the  air),  called  so 
because  it  was  made  without  a  linen  foundation.  From 
this  came  the  raised  points  and  various  needle  laces,  made 
without  a  net  ground,  or  “reseau.”  To  Italy  is  due  the 
credit  of  their  origin,  but  they  were  copied  and  adapted  by 
other  countries  during  the  sixteenth,  seventeenth,  and 
eighteenth  centuries.  When,  in  the  eighteenth  century. 


WESTERN  ART 


254 

ruffs  and  broad  flat  collars  were  supplanted  by  full  ruffles, 
a  softer  lace  was  needed,  and  France  made  the  needle  point 
“reseau,”  used  in  Alengon  and  Argentan  laces,  and  Italy 
became  the  imitator.  Flanders  and  Italy  dispute  the  origin 
of  bobbin  lace.  In  Italy  the  designs  and  execution  were 
strong  and  bold,  but  in  Flanders  the  finest  and  most  mar¬ 
vellous  workmanship  was  found.  S.  G.  F. 

Books.  —  Mrs.  Bury  Palliser,  History  0}  Lace,  revised  by 
M.  Jourdain  and  Alice  Dryden ;  Ernest  Lefebure,  Embroidery  and 
Lace,  Their  Manufacture  and  History,  translated  and  enlarged, 
with  notes  by  Alan  S.  Cole;  A.  M.  Sharp,  Point  and  Pillow  Lace. 
These  books  may  be  consulted  in  the  Library. 


Spanish  buratto 


Seventeenth  Century 


Part  of  a  long  strip.  The  buratto  or  bolting  cloth  upon 
which  the  design  is  darned  is  made  on  a  loom.  This  work 
was  done  in  imitation  of  darned  netting.  The  designs  of  the 
borders  are  of  earlier  date  than  the  figures  in  the  middle. 


EUROPEAN 


255 


Italian  Embroidery  Seventeenth  Century 

The  white  linen  foundation,  left  plain  except  for  a  powder 
of  French  knots,  makes  the  design,  while  the  background  is 
solidly  embroidered  in  tent  stitch  with  red  silk. 

Three  scenes:  first,  Adam  in  the  Garden  of  Eden;  sec¬ 
ond,  the  creation  of  Eve ;  third,  Adam  and  Eve  and  the  ser¬ 
pent,  who  is  wound  around  the  tree  of  knowledge  and  is  in 
the  act  of  giving  the  apple  to  Eve.  Above,  a  border  with 
these  words:  “Adam,”  “Adam  et  Eva,”  “  Qui  magnano  il 
-porno”  (here  they  are  eating  the  apple).  Below,  a  border 
of  plant  forms,  birds  and  animals. 


Italian  Reticella  Sixteenth  Century 

Design  of  figures  crudely  conceived,  but  well  balanced. 
Those  most  easily  recognized  are  Adam  and  Eve,  who 
stand  with  one  arm  akimbo  and  the  other  touching  the  tree, 
up  which  the  serpent  wriggles  to  get  the  forbidden  fruit. 


256 


WESTERN  ART 


Italian  Cut-work  ( punto  tagliato,  or  tela  tagliata) 

Late  Sixteenth  Century 

The  needlework  filling  of  the  open  spaces  in  the  linen  was 
done  with  white  thread,  while  for  the  laid-work  embroidery 
gold  thread  was  used.  This  use  of  gold  thread  as  well  as 
the  design  shows  strong  Eastern  influence. 


Florentine  Cut-work  ( punto  tagliato,  or  tela  tagliata ) 
Eighteenth  Century 

The  combination  of  many  embroidery  stitches  and  of 
punto  in  aria  with  the  cut-work  adds  greatly  to  the  beauty 
and  value  of  this  piece. 


EUROPEAN 


257 


Venetian  Point  ( punto  in  aria )  Seventeenth  Century 

A  rare  example,  strong  and  bold  in  design,  and  interesting 
as  the  connecting  link  between  the  geometrical  patterns  of 
reticella  and  the  elaborate  floriated  patterns  of  the  later 
Venetian  points. 


Venetian  Point  (punto  a  rilievo  a  fiorami)  Seventeenth  Century 

Bold  and  strong  in  design,  and  of  great  delicacy  of 
.execution. 


WESTERN  ART 


Venetian  Point 
( punto  a  rosellina ) 
About  1700  A.D. 


French  Point 

Eighteenth  Century 


EUROPEAN  259 


Chalice  Veil,  or  Corporate,  of  Bobbin  Lace  Seventeenth  Century 

In  each  corner  a  double-headed  eagle  with  a  crown;  in 
the  middle  of  one  side  the  Host,  supported  by  cherubim; 
opposite,  St.  Symphorian,  bearing  a  martyr’s  palm  and  led 
by  his  mother.  Balancing  these  on  the  other  sides  are 
St.  Francis  of  Assisi  with  the  stigmata,  and  two  birds,  and 
St.  Tillo,  with  an  abbot’s  staff  and  chalice,  and  two  crowned 
lions.  Scrolls  fill  the  intervening  places.  This  piece  may 
possibly  have  been  made  in  Flanders  by  Spanish  nuns. 
This  would  account  for  the  technique,  which  resembles  the 
work  of  both  Milan  and  Flanders,  and  for  the  choice  of 
saints  and  motifs. 


26o 


WESTERN  ART 


French  Tapestry  Eighteenth  Century 

Fragment  of  the  border  of  a  tapestry.  Figure  of  a 
man  partly  dressed  in  heliotrope  cloth,  seated  and  play¬ 
ing  a  pipe;  two  birds,  flowers,  and  fruits.  The  cream- 
colored  ground  is  entirely  of  silk.  The  design,  largely 
of  silk,  is  in  flesh  colors,  cherry,  heliotrope,  greens, 
and  cream  shading  into  brown.  This  is  a  good  example 
of  the  delicacy  of  the  French  coloring  and  of  the  fine¬ 
ness  of  the  work  done  in  that  country  in  the  eighteenth 
century. 


Panels  in  Wood 
and  Stucco, 
Gilded 


EUROPEAN 

In  the  eigh¬ 
teenth  century  the 
French  were  the 
leaders  in  matters 
of  good  taste  and 
elegance;  French 
furniture,  French 
interior  decora¬ 
tion,  as  well  as 
French  manners, 
set  the  standard 
for  Europe. 

There  are  in 
the  Museum 
eight  large  deco¬ 
rative  panels  of 
the  eighteenth 
century  which 
have  designs  of 
great  delicacy. 

The  figure  on 
one  of  the  two  here 
shown  is  remi¬ 
niscent  of  Jean 
Goujon  and  the 
French  Renais¬ 
sance.  The  pan¬ 
els  should  be 
compared  with 
the  old  gilt  frames 
of  the  same  pe¬ 
riod  around  the 
paintings  by 
Boucher  in  the 
Picture  Gallery. 


261 


French : 
late  Eighteenth 
Century 


262 


WESTERN  ART 


The  Music  Lesson  Chelsea  Porcelain,  about  17 tit) 

This  Chelsea  group,  modelled  by  Roubiliac  after  Wat¬ 
teau’s  picture,  “L’agreable  leyon,”  is  typical  of  that  phase 
of  eighteenth-century  taste  which  amused  itself  by  playing 
at  shepherd  and  shepherdess  and  was  much  given  to 
sentiment. 

While  Chelsea  groups  are  made  of  artificial  porcelain, 
the  contemporary  German  figurines,  also  well  represented 
in  the  Museum,  are  of  true  porcelain,  which  was  first  made 
in  Europe  at  Meissen  in  the  eighteenth  century. 


EUROPEAN 


263 


Wedgwood  Blue  Jasper  Ware  Late  Eighteenth  Century 


In  Jasper  ware,  the  most  beautiful  of  the  Wedgwood  pro¬ 
ductions,  white  cameos  are  placed  upon  a  colored  ground. 
Jasper  ware  of  the  best  period  (1786-1795)  is  recognized 
by  its  tine  grain,  even  surface,  and  satiny  feeling.  The 
white  reliefs  are  sharply  mod¬ 
elled  and  are  highly  polished. 

The  body  color  is  either  lilac, 
pink,  sage  green,  yellow, 
black,  or  some  tone  of  blue. 

All  the  different  varieties 
may  be  seen  in  the  Museum 
collection,  which  contains 
also  numerous  smaller  ob¬ 
jects  in  Jasper  ware,  such 
as  snuff  boxes,  jewelry,  etc., 
and  a  series  of  contempo¬ 
rary  portraits,  one  of  which, 
the  astronomer  Sir  William 
Herschel,  is  pictured  here. 

Wedgwood  Plaque 
Green  Jasper  Ware 


WESTERN  ART 


264 


The  art  of  \ 
th e  black- 
s  m  i  t  h  i  11 
the  Middle 
Ages  was 
m  ore  a  d- 
vanced  in 
France  than 
in  any  other 
country  of 
Europe,  and 
the  most  inter¬ 
esting  remains  of 
that  period  are 
hinges  which  at  first 
consisted  of  a  simple 
strap,  but  later  became 
very  elaborate  and  covered 
the  greater  part  of  the  door, 
often  serving  as  a  kind  of  armor 
against  robbers.  T  lie  magnifi¬ 
cent  hinges  on  the  doors  ot  Notre 
Dame  in  Paris  are  early  thirteenth- 
century  work  and  show  the  skill  at¬ 
tained  by  the  French  smiths  in  stamping 
the  designs  on  the  iron  with  metal  dies. 

Of  this  same  period,  but 
less  elaborate,  is  the  grille 
surmounting  the  tomb  ot 
Queen  Eleanor  in  West¬ 
minster  Abbey. 

Fine  grilles  of  riveted 

quatrefoils  were  made  in  Italy ;  but  ironwork  was  a  later 
development  in  Germany,  inspired  by  French  exam¬ 
ples  ;  while  the  Flemish  in  the  fifteenth  century  became 
noted  for  their  tall  iron  spires,  which  are  still  seen  on 
the  Cathedrals  of  Antwerp,  Ghent,  and  Bruges. 


Wrought  Iron  Candle  Bracket 
Interlaced  Scrolls  and  Leaves 
Engraved  and  Gilded 
Austrian,  Eighteenth  Century 
Boss  Collection 


EUROPEAN 


205 


Amber 

Amber  is  the  fossil  gum  of  a  tree  which  is  found  em¬ 
bedded  in  lignite  (a  coal  of  later  formation  than  anthra¬ 
cite  or  bituminous),  or  washed  up  on  the  shores  of  the 
Baltic  Sea,  in  Sicily,  Burma,  Nantucket,  and  other  parts 
of  the  world.  The  Baltic  amber  is  of  a  brilliant  translu¬ 
cent  orange  color  or  of  an  opaque  yellow,  which  darkens 
greatly  with  age,  but  the  Sicilian  specimens  show  a 
wonderful  range  of  color  from  pale  yellow  through  red 
to  dark  green,  and  occasionally  a  piece  is  found  with 
bluish  reflections  in  it.  From  Burma  comes  a  dark 
opaque  brown  variety  with  gold  flecks,  and  our  Nan¬ 
tucket  amber  is  also  opaque,  mottled  cream  and  light 
brown  tones,  with  none  of  the  beauty  of  the  others. 

Amber  has  been  considered  as  a  gem  from  the  earliest 
times,  and  many  ancient  writers  mention  it  in  their 
works.  Carved  specimens  and  beads  have  been  found 
in  Italy  dating  from  the  Etruscan  period,  and  from  the 
fifteenth  century  it  was  used  for  statuettes,  reliquaries, 
chess  and  checker  boards,  rosaries,  etc.  The  Buffum 
Collection  is  unique  in  America,  but  in  Europe  fine 
specimens  can  be  seen  in  the  Bargello,  Florence ;  the 
Kaiser  Friedrich  Museum,  Berlin;  in  the  Munich  and 
Nuremberg  Museums. 


2  66 


WESTERN  ART 


'  ■  .  ,  ,  ■  _  .  - -  : . ' _ iMm 

Crucifix  and  base  of  Sicilian  amber  with  figures  of 
Christ  and  two  Saints  in  opaque  German  amber.  Sev¬ 
enteenth  century  work.  Buffum  Collection. 


EUROPEAN 


267 


Silver  by  Paid  Revere  Boston,  1799 


American  Colonial  silver,  simple  in  design  and  substan¬ 
tial  in  weight,  is  distinguished  by  purity  of  form,  line,  and  pro¬ 
portion  rather  than  by  rich  ornamentation  or  careful  detail. 
As  was  natural,  the  designs  resemble  contemporary  English 
pieces,  but  the  men  who  fashioned  them  were  Americans, 
often  influential  citizens  and  holding  positions  of  public 
trust.  John  Hull,  one  of  the  earliest  silversmiths  in  New 
England,  was  made  Master  of  the  Mint  at  Boston  in  1652, 
and  was  allowed  to  keep  one  in  every  twenty  of  the  pine  tree 
shillings  which  he  coined.  The  silversmiths  were  also  the 
earliest  American  engravers. 

The  silver  from  the  workshop  of  Paul  Revere  is  not  only 
beautiful  in  itself,  but  much  of  it  is  of  historic  interest. 
The  teapot  and  sugar  bowl  illustrated  above  each  have 
the  following  inscription:  ‘‘To  Edmund  Marti  Con¬ 
structor  of  the  Frigate  BOSTON.  Presented  by  a  number 
of  his  fellow  citizens,  as  a  memorial  of  their  sense  of 
his  Ability,  Zeal  &  Fidelity  in  the  completion  of  that 
Ornament  of  the  AMERICAN  NAVY.  1799.” 


268 


WESTERN  ART 


Ceres 


Marble,  by  Auguste  Rodin,  b.  18Ifi 


EUROPEAN 


269 


Books  of  Reference 
Many  of  these  are  in  the  Museum  Library. 

Armor. —  Demmin,  Anns  and  Armor;  Laking,  Windsor 
Castle  Collection  of  Armor;  Catalogue  of  the  Royal  Armory , 
Madrid;  Amhras  Collection,  Vienna  (see  the  Connoisseur  for 
February  and  March,  1904);  Catalogue  of  the  Spitzer  Collec¬ 
tion,  2  vols. ;  Armeria  Antica  e  Moderna  de  S  M  11  Re  d' Italia 
in  Torino,  3  vols. 

Bindings  and  MSS. —  Burlington  Fine  Arts  Cluh  Catalogue, 
Exhibition  of  Bindings,  1891 ;  Humphreys,  Illuminated  Books 
of  the  Middle  Ages;  Portfolio  1896,  Royal  English  Bookbind¬ 
ings;  Bradley,  Illuminated  MSS. 

Ecclesiastical  Art.  —  Liibke,  Ecclesiastical  Art  in  Germany 
during  the  Middle  Ages;  Pugin,  Glossary  of  Ecclesiastical  Or¬ 
nament;  Suffling,  English  Church  Brasses. 

Furniture.  —  HoentscheV s  Collection  of  Furniture,  4  vols. ; 
Litchfield,  History  of  Furniture. 

Glass  and  Enamel. —  Dillon,  Glass;  Hartshorne,  Old  English 
Glass;  Molinier,  Dictionnaire  des  Emailleurs;  Burlington  Fine 
Arts  Club  Catalogue,  Exhibition  of  European  Enamels,  1897. 

Jewelry,  Fans,  Clocks,  Watches,  etc. — Smith,  Jewellery; 
Studio,  1902,  Jewellery  and  Fans  (special  number);  Jones, 
Finger  Ring  Lore;  Britten,  Old  Clocks  and  Watches;  Catalogue 
of  the  Walker  Collection  of  Fans,  1882. 

Pottery  and  Porcelain.  Solon,  Art  Stoneware  of  the  Low 
Countries  and  Germany;  Pennsylvania  Museum  Handbooks; 
Chaffers,  Marks  and  Monograms  on  Pottery  and  Porcelain; 
Solon,  History  of  Old  English  Porcelain. 

Medals  and  Bronzes. —  Fabriczy,  Italian  Medals;  Molinier. 
Bronzes  de  la  Renaissance. 

Silver  and  Pewter. —  Chaffers,  Hall  Marks  on  Plate;  Buck, 
Old  Plate;  Rosenberg,  Per  Goldschmiede  Merkzeichen ;  Museum 
of  Fine  Arts,  American  Silver,  1906;  Museum  of  Fine  Arts, 
American  Church  Silver,  1911;  Jones,  Morgan  Collection,  Wind¬ 
sor  Castle  Collection,  Tower  of  London  Collection,  Czar  of  Russia' s 
Collection;  Cripps,  Old  French  Plate;  Howard,  Old  London 
Silver;  Masse,  Pewter  Plate;  Gale,  Pewter  and  the  Amateur 
Collector. 

Miscellaneous. —  Ferrari,  II  legno  nelV  Arte  Italiana;  Ferrari, 
II  ferro  nell'  Arte  Italiana;  Musee  des  Arts  Decoratifs,  Le  Bois 
and  Le  Metal,  3  vols. ;  Buffum,  Amber  as  a  Gem;  Fairbairn’s 
Books  of  Crests;  Holden,  Primer  of  Heraldry  for  Americans; 
British  Museum  Catalogue  of  Early  Christian  Antiquities;  La- 
barte,  Arts  of  the  Middle  Ages;  Balcarres,  Evolution  of  Italian 
Sculpture;  Williams,  Arts  and  Crafts  of  Older  Spain,  3  vols. 


INDIAN  ART 


The  collection  is  shown  in  the 
Indian  Corridor  opening  to 
the  left  from  the  Rotunda 


272 


INDIAN  ART 


Avalokitesvara  (Bodhisattva) ,  seated  as  a  teacher.  Buddhist 
bronze.  Ceylon.  VIII.  century,  A.  D. 
Ross-Coomaraswamy  Collection 


INDIAN  ART 


INDIAN  art  embraces  the  distinct  traditions  of  Hin¬ 
duism  (Brahmanical,  Buddhist  and  Jaina)  and  of 
Islam. 

The  subject  matter  of  Hindu  art  is  hieratic  and  epic. 
It  does  not  aim  at  illustration  or  record.  It  is  not  an 
art  of  impressionism,  representation  or  self-expression, 
but  abstract  and  anonymous.  In  primitive  and  classic 
phases  it  unites  canonical  form  with  swift  serene  gesture 
and  tender  feeling:  in  decadence  if  preserves  an  original 
grandeur  of  design,  though  the  gesture  is  no  longer  felt, 
and  the  form  is  over-emphasized  or  over-ornamented. 
Hindu  art  is  never  interested  in  the  mere  appearances  of 
things,  but  interprets  them  as  symbols  of  general  ideas. 
Moreover,  the  true  work  of  art  is  not  an  object,  but  some¬ 
thing  which  springs  into  being  between  the  artist  and 
the  spectator  and  is  due  to  the  activity  of  both.  In 
other  words,  the  appreciation  of  art  is  not  a  question 
of  taste  or  ethics,  but  of  creative  imagination.  With¬ 
out  this,  the  spectator,  however  well  he  knows  what  he 
likes  or  dislikes,  may  remain  unmoved  before  the  most 
beautiful  work:  with  it  he  will  understand  the  signifi¬ 
cance  of  the  most  awkward  primitive,  and  the  mean¬ 
ing  of  a  great  tradition  will  be  recognized  even  in  de¬ 
cadent  examples. 

An  art  of  ideas  cannot  be  judged  by  standards  of 
verisimilitude:  it  must  be  approached  as  expression. 
There  is  no  such  thing  as  “accurate  drawing,”  but 
that  drawing  is  best  (as  Leonardo  says)  which  best 
expresses  the  passion  that  animates  the  figure.  We 
must  look  then  for  truth  of  feeling  and  movement, 
rather  than  for  scientific  knowledge  of  perspective 


274 


INDIAN  ART 


and  anatomy.  To  appreciate  art  in  this  way  as  ex¬ 
pression,  however,  demands  a  knowledge  of  what 
is  to  be  expressed — a  knowledge  which  the  con¬ 
temporary  artist  is  free  to  take  for  granted,  but  which 
the  student  of  an  unfamiliar  art  must  either  possess 
intuitively  or  take  some  pains  to  acquire.  To  appre¬ 
ciate  anything  more  than  the  superficial  charm  of 
Hindu  art  therefore  demands  a  certain  study  of  the 
ideas  it  exists  to  express.  These  ideas,  being  primarily 
devotional  and  philosophical,  are  somewhat  remote 
from  the  tendencies  of  modern  life,  and  it  is  owing  to 
this  bias  and  to  differences  of  taste  and  technique  that 
Hindu  art  at  first  sight  appears  strange.  We  may  be 
assured,  however,  that  we  have  begun  to  understand 
it  when  we  begin  to  see  that  it  is  first  of  all  art,  and 
only  incidentally  Hindu  art. 

It  should  also  be  observed  that  while  Indian  art 
can  be  classified  as  Brahman ical,  Buddhist  or  Jaina, 
these  are  sectarian  names,  and  not  distinctions  of 
style  or  period. 

The  greater  part  of  Indian  art  surviving  from  the 
3rd  century  B.  C.  to  the  4th  century  A.  D.  is  Buddhist, 
and  after  the  7th  century  (except  in  Bengal  up  to  the 
12th  century,  in  the  Javanese  and  Cambodian  colonies 
until  the  14th,  and  in  Nepal  and  Ceylon,  Burma  and 
Siam  up  to  the  present  day,  and  with  exception  of 
Jaina  art)  it  is  distinctively  Brahmanical  in  subject. 

Early  Buddhism,  like  the  Upanishads,  could  not 
and  did  not  inspire  an  immediate  expression  through 
art.  Developing  into  a  cult,  however,  under  Asoka 
(272-232  B.  C.)  Buddhism  adapted  popular  Indian 
art  to  edifying  ends:  but  the  Buddha  himself  is  repre¬ 
sented  only  by  symbols.  A  little  later  the  growing 
spirit  of  devotion  in  the  development  of  a  popular 
religion  led  to  the  creation  of  anthropomorphic  images 
as  intermediary  objects  of  worship.  The  typical 
Buddha  figure,  evolved  already  in  the  first  century 


INTRODUCTION 


275 


B.  C.,  is  that  of  a  contemplative  figure  seated  in  the 
traditional  Indian  posture  with  crossed  legs  and  steady 
gaze,  “like  a  flame  in  a  windless  spot  that  does  not 
flicker”;  this  must  have  presented  itself  to  the  Indian 
imagination  as  the  only  possible  form  in  which  to  image 
One-who-had-attained-to-Perfect-Wisdom.  Standing  and 
reclining  images  were  soon  added,  in  which  there 
are  certain  elements  of  Western  origin.  This  Western 
(Graeco-Roman)  element  is  most  conspicuous  in  the 
abundant  Buddhist  art  (1st  to  3rd  century  A.  D.)  of  the 
Gandhara  provinces  of  the  Northwest  frontier.  The 
purely  Indian  types  are  characteristic  of  the  south  and 
of  Ceylon. 

The  Western  elements  are  gradually  assimilated 
into  a  definitely  Indian  art  under  the  Guptas  (320- 
480  A.  D.) :  and  the  Buddhist  art  of  this  period  and  one 
or  two  succeeding  centuries  provides  the  formulae 
which  are  repeated  in  the  Chinese  Buddhist  art  of 
the  Wei  and  T'ang  times.  By  this  time,  moreover, 
Brahmanical  sculpture,  hitherto  executed  mainly  in 
perishable  materials,  begins  to  be  found  in  stone. 
The  earliest  works  in  the  Museum  collection,  apart 
from  some  fragments  from  Gandhara,  are  a  massive 
head  and  torso  of  Vishnu,  and  a  much  damaged  Head 
of  Buddha,  both  of  the  Gupta  period  and  in  red 
sandstone. 

Indian  art  of  the  classic  period  (7th  and  8th  century) 
is  rather  more  distinctively  Brahmanical  than  Bud¬ 
dhist:  it  shows  an  equal  mastery  of  feeling  and  technique 
and  a  highly  conscious  and  cultivated  taste.  The 
Museum  possesses  two  small  Buddhist  bronzes  of 
this  period,  of  which  one  at  least  (see  p.  272)  exhibits 
the  characteristic  qualities  of  the  finest  contemporary 
work  on  a  large  scale  in  stone.  Spiritual  power  is 
realized  in  the  elimination  of  everything  unessential, 
and  expressed  inevitably  through  physical  grace.  No 
better  example  could  be  selected  for  study  by  those 


276 


INDIAN  ART 


who  approach  the  art  of  India  for  the  first  time. 
Of  nearly  equal  importance  is  a  series  of  several 
Buddhist  (see  p.  281)  and  one  Brahmanical  copper  gilt 
images  of  the  9th  or  10th  century  from  Bengal  or 
Nepal:  these  may  represent  Taranatha’s  “Eastern 
School”  of  Varendra,  and  it  is  not  impossible  they  are 
by  one  of  the  masters  Dhiman  or  Bitpalo  or  their 
immediate  followers.  From  a  later  period  there  are 
both  Buddhist  and  Brahmanical  bronze  and  copper 
figures  which,  even  without  the  pieces  already  spoken 
of,  would  form  a  noteworthy  group. 

In  stone  there  are  two  excellent  examples  of  Indian 
colonial  art,  a  Cambodian  (Khmer)  Head  of  Buddha 
(see  p.  283),  and  a  black  basalt  bas-relief  of  Durga  as 
Candi  slaying  the  bull-demon  Maliisa  (see  p.  282). 

Indian  painting  so  far  as  it  survives  falls  into  several 
groups.  The  first  of  these,  the  Buddhist  art  of  Ajanta 
(2d  to  7th  centuries,  A.  D.),  is  preserved  only  on  the 
walls  of  the  excavated  temples  and  at  Sigiriya  in  Ceylon, 
and  it  cannot  be  represented  in  any  museum,1  but 
something  of  the  same  type  may  be  seen  in  the 
Chinese  T  ang  “Hokke  Mandara”  (see  p.  32 0).  From 
that  time  up  to  the  loth  century  there  is  very  little 
Indian  painting  preserved  anywhere.  The  oldest 
known  Indian  paintings  on  paper  are  the  illustrations 
of  Jaina  MSS.  of  the  loth  century  of  which  the  Museum 
possesses  a  unique  series  (see  p.  284). 2 

Rajput  painting  is  the  Hindu  art  of  Rajputana  and 
the  Panjab  Himalayas  of  which  surviving  examples 
range  from  the  16th  to  the  19th  century.  This  is  a 
descendant  of  the  old  linear  and  national  school  of 
mural  art  represented  at  Ajanta,  but  greatly  modified 
in  theme  and  scale.  Its  subjects  are  drawn  from  epic 
and  contemporary  vernacular  poetry  and  Brahmanical 

'There  is  a  full  series  of  photographs  in  the  Photograph 
Department. 

2See  Bulletin  of  the  Museum,  No.  !)<). 


INTRODUCTION 


277 


theology:  but  most  characteristically  perhaps  from 
the  cult  of  Radha  and  Krishna,  where  human  love  in 
all  its  phases  is  interpreted  as  an  image  of  the  history 
of  the  soul  of  man  (typified  in  Radha  and  the  other 
milkmaids  of  an  Indian  Arcadia)  pursued  by  the 
divine  lover  (Krishna,  the  herdsman  avatar  of  Vishnu). 
These  themes  afford  the  artist  and  poet,  whose  work 
is  so  closely  related  as  to  be  hardly  separable,  with 
abundant  material  drawn  from  essentially  Indian 
life  —  the  home,  the  village,  the  cowsheds,  ritual, 
riverside,  and  spring  festivals:  all  which  is  interpreted 
in  the  sense  of  a  spiritual  drama  (see  p.  287).  Perhaps 
the  most  attractive  example  of  this  idyllic  art  is  a 
picture  of  Krishna  disguised  as  a  milkmaid  —  one  of  the 
many  devices  he  employs  to  effect  his  meetings  with 
Radha,  “making  Himself  as  we  are  that  we  may  be  as 
He  is.”  Even  the  smallest  of  the  Rajput  drawings  are 
designed  on  the  broad  scale  of  mural  art,  almost  devoid 
of  modelling:  while  the  actual  relation  to  mural  paint¬ 
ing,  which  is  the  real  foundation  of  Rajput  art,  is 
still  more  evident  in  the  large  cartoons  of  Radha  and 
Krishna  dancing.  A  series  of  illustrations  of  the 
Marriage  of  Nala  and  Damayanti  exhibits  the  wonder- 
fid  charm  of  sweetness  that  never  becomes  sentimental. 
Another  favorite  theme  of  Rajput  art  is  the  Ragmala 
or  Garland  of  Musical  Modes  (the  “Ragas”  and 
“Raginis”) :  the  Museum  possesses  a  number  of  ex¬ 
amples  of  the  16th  century,  one  series  of  twelve  ex¬ 
amples  unrivalled  in  draughtsmanship  and  glowing 
color  and  two  others  in  more  subdued  tones  less 
bold  in  draughtsmanship  but  not  less  exquisite  (see 
p.  286).  The  Rajput  schools  are  classified  geographically 
as  Rajasthani  (from  Rajputana)  and  Pahari  (from 
the  Panjab  Himalayas,  where  the  chief  centres  of  pro¬ 
duction  have  been  in  Jammu  and  Kangra). 

Mughal  painting  (formerly  called  Indo-Persian) , 
although  unmistakably  and  definitely  Indian  derives 


278 


INDIAN  ART 


to  some  extent  from  Persian  traditions.  It  forms  a 
brilliant  episode  in  the  history  of  Indian  art,  though 
it  diverges  from  Hindu  sentiment  inasmuch  as  it  is 
definitely  and  exclusively  secular  and  realistic,  in¬ 
terested  in  the  study  of  individual  character  and  the 
representation  of  contemporary  events.  In  these 
respects  it  resembles  the  late  Renaissance  art  of 
Europe,  rather  than  any  purely  Asiatic  art.  It  owes 
its  existence  entirely  to  the  patronage  of  the  Mughal 
emperors  (the  “Great  Moguls”)  and  especially  Akbar 
(1556-1605)  and  Jahangir  (1605-1628),  both  of  whom 
gave  lavish  encouragement  to  court  painters.  It  is 
eclectic,  and  combines,  Persian,  Indian,  European  and 
even  Chinese  elements.  Under  Akbar  it  is  still  strongly 
influenced  by  the  Persian  school  of  Bihzad:  it  attains 
its  most  characteristic  development  and  fullest  strength 
under  Jahangir — becoming  overripe  in  the  time  of 
Shah  Jahan  and  declining  under  Aurangzib.  It  differs 
from  Persian  painting  (which  was  already  decadent 
in  the  17th  century)  in  that  it  is,  although  still  asso¬ 
ciated  with  calligraphy,  far  less  definitely  than  Persian 
art  an  art  of  book  illumination:  it  differs,  too,  in  its 
greater  actuality  and  its  representation,  no  longer 
of  epic  themes,  but  of  “what  we  have  ourselves  seen 
and  heard.”  Many  fine  examples  are  exhibited  in 
the  East  Indian  corridor.  Those  of  the  Akbar  period 
include  two  paintings  representing  the  Birth  of  a 
Prince,  a  page  from  a  Shah  Nama,  a  scene  from  the 
Ramayana ,  and  a  part  of  an  illustrated  MS.  of  the 
Rasilcapriya  of  Kesava  Das,  with  the  Hindi  text.  The 
collection  is  richest,  however,  in  works  of  the  school  of 
Jahangir  (see  pp.  288-291),  of  which  perhaps  the  most 
important  is  the  Darbar  of  Akbar  (see  p.  288),  with 
portraits  of  Akbar,  Jahangir,  his  two  grandsons  and 
many  of  his  courtiers,  whose  names,  many  well  known, 
are  recorded  on  the  picture  itself.  This  work,  like 
many  other  Mughal  paintings,  represents  a  collaboration, 


INTRODUCTION 


279 


and  is  composed  on  the  basis  of  many  separate  studies : 
the  painters  may  have  been  Abul  Hasan  and  Raja 
Manohar  Singh,  the  date  about  1620.  The  painter 
Bishndas,  highly  praised  by  Jahangir,  is  represented  in 
the  embassy  scene  where  Shah  ‘Abbas  I  of  Persia  is 
seen  receiving  a  cup  from  Khan  ‘Alam,  the  Indian 
ambassador.  The  portrait  of  Malik  ‘Ambar  (see  p.  289) 
is  powerful  and  dramatic.  The  poignant  realism  of  a 
little  drawing  of  a  Dying  Man  is  even  more  impressive 
than  in  the  finished  picture  of  the  same  subject  now  in  the 
Bodleian.  The  collection  also  includes  a  number  of 
works  by  the  famous  painter  of  animals,  Ustad  Mansur 
(see  p.  290),  and  a  remarkable  monochrome  drawing  of  an 
elephant,  unsigned. 

The  decorative  arts  are  represented  in  the  collec¬ 
tions  mainly  by  the  jewelry  and  textiles,  the  former 
including  fine  examples  of  Jaipur  enamel  and  of  South 
Indian  work  in  filigree  and  “gold-embedding”;  the 
latter  an  interesting  series  of  printed  cottons,  gold 
brocades  (see  p.  293),  and  Kashmir  shawls.  There  are 
also  important  examples  of  Indian  rugs  including  the 
well  known  Mughal  hunting  carpet  given  by  Mr.  Lothrop 
Ames  (see  p.  292). 

The  collection  is  mainly  the  gift  of  Dr.  Denman 
W.  Ross.  Many  of  the  paintings,  all  the  MSS.  and 
nearly  all  the  small  bronzes  are  from  the  collection 
of  Dr.  Coomaraswamy  given  by  Dr.  Ross.  Important 
examples  of  Indian  jewelry  from  the  Gardner-Brewer 
Collection  have  been  bequeathed  by  Mrs.  Arthur  Croft  and 
others  have  been  bequeathed  by  Hervey  Edward  Wetzel, 
and  presented  by  Miss  Louise  M.  Nathurst  (see  p.  291). 
Some  of  the  paintings  are  from  the  Goloubew  collection, 
and  the  remainder  of  the  series  consists  of  other  gifts, 
loans  and  purchases.  A.  K.  C. 


28o 


INDIAN  ART 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Archaeological  Survey  of  India:  Reports. 

Birdwood,  Sir  G.  —  Industrial  arts  of  India;  Lond.  1880. 

Bulletin  of  the  Museum,  No.  74,  90,  93,  95,  96,  97. 

Burgess,  James.  —  Buddhist  Stupas  of  Amavarati  and  Jagay- 
yapeta;  Lond.  1887.  Ancient  Monuments,  etc.,  of  India; 
Lond,  n.  d. 

Coomaraswamy,  A.  K. —  Arts  and  crafts  of  India  and  Ceylon; 
Edin.  1913.  Bronzes  from  Ceylon;  Colombo,  1914.  Mediaeval 
Sinhalese  art;  Broad  Campden,  1908.  Rajput  painting;  Lond. 
1916.  Visvakarma:  Examples  of  Indian  sculpture;  Lond.  1914. 
Cunningham.  —  Stupa  of  Bharhut;  Lond.  1879. 

Fergusson,  James.  —  History  of  Indian  .  .  .  architecture;  Lond. 
1910. 

Foucher,  A.  —  Bas-reliefs  greco-bouddhiques  du  Gandhara,  2v. ; 
Par.  1905.  Etude  sur  l’iconographie  bouddhique  de  l'lnde, 
2v.;  Par.  1900-03.  Beginnings  of  Buddhist  Art;  Paris,  1917. 
Gangoly,  O.  C.  • — South  Indian  Bronzes;  Calcutta,  1915. 

Getty,  Alice.  —  Gods  of  northern  Buddhism;  Oxf.  1914. 

Griffiths.  —  The  Paintings  of  Ajanta;  Lond.  1896. 

Griinwedel,  A. —  Buddhist  art  in  India;  Lond.  1901.  Mythol- 
ogie  du  Bouddhisme;  Paris,  1900. 

Hadaway,  S.  —  Illustrations  of  metal  work;  Madras,  1913. 
Havell,  E.  B.  —  Ancient  and  medieval  architecture  of  India; 
Lond.  1915.  Ideals  of  Indian  art;  Lond.  1911.  Indian 
architecture,  its  psychology,  structure,  and  history;  Lond. 
1913.  Indian  sculpture  and  painting;  Lond.  1908. 

India  Society.  —  Ajanta  Frescoes;  Lond.  1915. 

Jacob,  S.  S.,  and  Hendley,  T.  II.  —  Jeypore  enamels;  Lond.  1886. 
Journal  of  Indian  art. 

Maisey.  —  Sanchi  and  its  Remains;  Lond.  1892 
Marteau,  G.,  and  Vever,  II.  —  Miniatures  persanes,  2v. ;  Par.  1913. 
Martin,  F.  R.  —  Miniature  painting  and  painters  of  Persia,  India 
and  Turkey,  2v.;  Lond.  1912. 

Ostasiatische  Zeitschrift. 

Parker,  H.  —  Ancient  Ceylon;  Lond.  1909. 

Rao,  T.  A.  G.  —  Elements  of  Hindu  iconography;  Madras,  1914. 
Sastri,  H.  K.  —  South-Indian  images  of  Gods  and  Goddesses; 
Madras,  1916. 

Schulz,  P.  W.  —  Die  persisch-islamische  Miniaturenmalerei; 
Lpz.  1914. 

Smith,  E.  W.  —  Moghul  architecture  of  Fathpur  Sikri;  Allahabad, 
1894-8.  Moghul  colour  decoration  of  Agra;  Allahabad,  1901. 
Smith,  V.  A.  - —  Asoka,  the  Buddhist  emperor  of  India;  Oxf.  1909. 
Akbar,  the  Great  Mogul;  Oxf.  1917.  Early  history  of  India; 
Oxf.  1914.  History  of  fine  art  in  India  and  Ceylon;  Oxf.  1911. 
Watt,  Sir  G.  —  Indian  art  at  Delhi,  1903 ;  Lond.  1904. 

Most  of  these  works  may  be  seen  in  the  Museum  Library. 


INDIAN  ART 


281 


Avalokitesvara  (Bodhisattva) ,  Cast  copper,  tooled, 
gilt  and  jewelled.  Nepal,  IX.  century 
Ross-Coomaraswamy  Collection 


282 


INDIAN  ART 


Candi  ( Durga )  slaying  the  demon  Mahisa 
Basalt  relief,  Brahmanical,  Java, 
XI.  century 
Ross  Collection 


INDIAN  ART 


28 


Head  of  Buddha. 


Cambodian  (Khmer) 
Ross  Collection 


About  X.  century 


INDIAN  ART 


285 


Kedara  Ragini  ( a  musical  mode ) 
Rajput,  Rajasthani,  XVI.  century 


Ross-Coomaraswamy  Collection 


286 


INDIAN  ART 


Madhu-madhavi  Ragini  (a  musical  mode)  “  The  sweet ,  sweet 
rumbling  of  thunder  is  heard."  Rajput,  Rajasthani 
XVI.  century 
Ross  Collection 


INDIAN  ART 


287 


Krishna  bringing  home  the  herds  to  Brindaban  —  the  hour  of 
“cowdust."  Unfinished.  Rajput,  Pahari,  Kangra 
XV I IT.  century 
Ross-Coomaraswamy  Collection 


88 


INDIAN  ART 


Darbar  of  Akbar 

Mughal,  School  of  Jahangir  ( about  lf>30) 
Golov  bew  Collection 


INDIAN  ART 


289 


Malik  ‘A  mbar.  Abyssinian  leader  of  the  Marathas.  Mughal 
Early  XVII.  century.  School  of  Jahangir 
Ross-Coomaraswamy  Collection 


290 


INDIAN  ART 


W0^§‘ 

Mill 


Falcon,  by  Ustad  Mansur.  Mughal,  XVII.  century.  School  of 
Jahangir 

Goloubew  Collection 


INDIAN  ART 


291 


Jahangir  About  1616-1620 

Ross-Coomaraswamy  Collection 


Gold  necklaces,  one  with  rubies 
Southern  India  and  Ceylon 
Nathurst  Collection 


292 


INDIAN  ART 


Hug  Mughal ,  early  XVII.  century 

Probably  made  in  Lahore  or  Delhi 
Ames  Collection 


Gold  Brocade  (Ximkhwah)  Indian ,  XVII .  century 

Probably  from  Aurangabad 


294 


INDIAN  ART 


Tara:  from  manuscript  of  the  Astasahasrika  Prajnaparamita 
Nepal.  XII.  century 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 

The  objects  illustrated  on  the  following  pages 
are  a  representative  choice  from  the  Museum 
collection.  All  can  be  seen  at  any  time,  either 
in  the  galleries  devoted  to  the  type  of  art  they 
represent  or  upon  application  at  the  Office  of  the 
Department  (C  and  J  in  the  plan  on  the  next 
page). 

In  order  to  show  the  collection  more  completely 
than  is  possible  at  any  one  time  the  exhibits  in 
the  galleries  are  frequently  changed. 


LATER 

UKIYOE 


Main  Floor 


C  Sf  J  indicates  the  afire  of  the  Department 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


297 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 

ONE  unfamiliar  with  the  art  of  the  extreme 
Orient  is  likely,  when  first  brought  face  to  face 
with  the  work  of  some  Chinese  or  Japanese 
master,  to  find  but  little  that  appeals  deeply  to  him. 
He  will  recognize,  perhaps,  a  certain  charm  of  line, 
color,  or  composition,  little  dreaming  that  what  is 
before  him  may  be  a  subtle  exposition  of  cosmic  philos¬ 
ophy  wherein  every  detail  is  full  of  significance;  for 
the  art  of  the  East  delights  rather  in  suggesting  the 
inner  spirit  of  things  than  in  reproducing  their  mere 
outward  forms. 

Even  as  the  pictured  antagonism  between  the  tiger 
and  the  dragon  represents  the  Taoist  conception  of 
the  eternal  struggle  between  matter  and  spirit,  or  as 
the  great  circle,  wherein  sits  the  immovable  figure  of 
Dai-Nichi,  teaches  the  Buddhist  doctrine  of  all-con¬ 
taining  Oneness,  so  the  simple  ink  sketch  of  a  sprig  of 
bamboo,  by  some  Zen  monk,  implied  the  equal  impor¬ 
tance  of  least  and  greatest  in  the  infinite  rhythm  of 
the  Universe. 

Again,  so  different  from  ours  are  the  conventions  of 
the  Oriental  artist  that  the  ‘queerness”  of  everything 
at  first  overshadows  all  else.  Yet,  if  the  beholder  is 
not  too  young,  he  may  remember  how  in  the  days 
before  the  development  of  instantaneous  photography 
people  laughed  at  the  impossible”  attitudes  assumed 
by  the  pictured  steeds  of  China  and  Japan,  while  they 
themselves  represented  the  galloping  horse  as  poised 
above  the  ground,  with  legs  stiffly  stretched  behind 
and  before.  A  spirit  of  reflection  once  aroused,  further 


298  CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


comparisons  will  suggest  themselves,  and,  as  the  first 
effect  of  strangeness  begins  to  wear  off,  the  inquirer 
will  find  himself  discovering  so  many  new  terms  of 
truth  that  before  long  he  will  wonder  whether  after 
all  his  own  art  is  so  immeasurably  superior  to  that 
before  him. 

Every  mode  of  art  is  the  result  of  civilization  influ¬ 
enced  by  the  peculiar  genius  of  a  people.  In  the  light 
of  modern  research  it  seems  possible  that  the  earliest 
high  state  of  civilization  and  consequent  art  expression 
was  developed  among  those  nations  living  in  the  region 
east  of  what  is  now  known  as  Asia  Minor,  whence  the 
impulse  spread  in  different  directions  to  meet  with 
special  modes  of  refinement  in  Egypt,  Greece,  Meso¬ 
potamia,  India,  and  China,  from  the  latter  of  which 
countries  it  found  its  way  to  Korea  and  Japan. 

During  the  early  centuries  of  the  Christian  era  there 
was  constant  intercourse  between  I  ndia  and  China  along 
the  great  caravan  routes  of  Central  Asia,  and  thus  the 
teachings  of  Gautama  found  their  way  to  China  and 
inspired  the  philosophy  of  the  latter  country  with  the 
religious  fervor  of  the  former.  From  this  combination 
was  developed  in  the  T  ang  Dynasty  (A.D.  618-907) 
an  art  equalling  that  of  the  early  Italian  Renaissance 
in  its  spirit  of  adoration,  but  one  in  which  the  naive 
rendering  of  a  few  subjects  was  replaced  by  the  pre¬ 
sentment  of  philosophic  conceptions  whose  least  detail 
was  full  of  symbolic  meaning. 

This  was  the  golden  age  of  Chinese  art  and  literature 
culminating  in  the  exquisite  refinement  of  the  Sung 
Dynasty,  A.D.  960-1280.  The  very  splendor  of  Sung, 
however,  proved  fatal.  The  cupidity  of  chose  same 
wild  Mongol  tribes,  who  were  soon  to  trample  the 
ancient  glory  of  India  beneath  the  hoofs  of  their  shaggy 
steeds,  became  excited,  and  by  the  beginning  of  the 
thirteenth  century  China  lay  writhing  beneath  a  con¬ 
queror's  heel.  Thenceforth,  save  for  a  temporary 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


299 


revival  during  the  Native  Ming  Dynasty,  1368—1644, 
at  which  time  and  during  the  first  part  of  the  following 
Ch'ing  Dynasty  the  art  of  decorating  porcelain  reached 
perhaps  its  greatest  perfection,  the  glory  of  China  has 
been  to  a  large  extent  a  glory  of  the  past. 

An  agricultural  people,  living  in  a  once  highly  fertile 
land,  the  Chinese  have  from  time  immemorial  been, 
subject,  to  raids  from  the  fierce  nomad  tribes  inhabiting 
the  great  steppes  to  the  North.  The  conquerors  gen¬ 
erally  settled  down  after  their  victories,  and  gradually 
became  assimilated  to  the  manners  and  customs  of 
their  more  civilized  subjects  only  to  be  in  their  turn 
overwhelmed  by  a  fresh  inroad  from  the  North.  The 
vicissitudes  attendant  on  these  invasions,  together  with 
the  damage' done  by  numerous  great  floods,  have  left 
but  few  examples  of  the  early  art  of  China,  mostly 
bronze  vessels  and  ceremonial  jade  implements,  which, 
buried  with  the  dead,  have  remained  protected  by  the 
earth  till  dug  up  by  some  later  generation.  The  early 
bronzes,  some  of  them  perhaps  dating  back  two  thou¬ 
sand  years  before  Christ,  are  generally  of  massive  and 
dignified  form,  decorated  in  moulded  relief  with  dragon 
monsters  and  conventional  cloud,  and  other  forms. 
Other  vessels  are  themselves  fashioned  in  the  forms  of 
animals  or  birds  (see  plate,  p.  357)-  The  early  jade 
and  other  stone  objects  which  have  come  down  to  us 
are  also  nearly  all  of  ceremonial  quality,  many  of  the 
pieces  reproducing  the  form  of  agricultural  or  warlike 
implements,  as  well  as  mystic  emblems  connected  with 
the  worship  of  nature  (see  plate,  p.  860). 

The  grave  pottery  of  the  Han  Dynasty  (206  B.  C.~ 
221  A.  D.)  seems  generally  to  follow  in  style  bronze 
forms ;  its  decoration  becomes  less  conventional  and 
abounds  in  hunting  scenes  among  the  mountains,  etc. 
It  is  covered  with  a  dark  green  glaze  reminiscent  of 
the  patina  induced  on  bronze  by  the  action  of  copper 
salts  (see  plate,  p.  865). 


3oo 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


From  the  fourth  century  A.  D.  forward  Buddhism, 
which  since  about  the  beginning  of  the  Christian  era 
had  been  slowly  filtering  into  China  from  the  Indian 
frontier,  became  a  living  influence,  and  a  new  school  of 
art  was  developed  at  the  hands  of  those  artists  and 
artisans  who  followed  in  the  steps  of  the  Indian  apostles 
to  furnish  and  adorn  the  newly-erected  temples.  This 
Indian  art,  revelling  in  brilliant  color  and  voluptuous 
lines,  received  later  at  the  hands  of  the  more  restrained 
Chinese  a  dignity  and  impressiveness  which  it  had 
hitherto  lacked,  and  so  evolved  an  ideal  type  compa¬ 
rable  with,  though  differing  from,  that  of  Greece  during 
her  period  of  highest  achievement  (see  plates,  pp.  313 
and  325).  At  this  time  communication  between  Persia 
and  China  over  the  great  trade  routes  of  the  North 
became  intimate,  and  much  of  Persian  influence  became 
apparent  in  Chinese  decoration. 

Every  fresh  impulse  of  Chinese  thought  or  expression 
found  its  echo  on  the  shores  of  Japan,  there  to  receive 
the  subtle  refinement  of  native  genius  and  to  be  pre¬ 
served  long  after  its  memory  had  perished  in  the  land 
of  its  birth.  Tims  the  earlier  art  history  of  both 
countries  may  best  be  studied  side  by  side. 

Buddhism  first  reached  Japan  at  the  beginning  of 
the  so-called  Suiko  period,  550-700,  and  the  sculpture 
of  this  era  follows  the  style  of  contemporary  Chinese 
Art,  being  of  a  decidedly  Indian  type  modified  by 
Chinese  ideas.  Soon,  however,  the  innate  Japanese 
love  of  beauty  became  dissatisfied  with  purely  abstract 
representations  and  began  to  soften  the  rigidity  of 
outline  and  to  add  a  certain  character  of  tenderness 
peculiar  to  the  national  consciousness. 

The  following  Nara  period,  700-800,  witnessed  in 
Japan,  as  in  China,  the  production  of  a  vast  amount  of 
sculpture,  including  the  great  seated  bronze  Buddha 
of  Todaiji,  fifty-four  feet  in  height,  in  which  the  be¬ 
lievers  sought,  according  to  the  then  prevalent  trend 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


301 


of  thought  throughout  the  Buddhist  world,  to  embody 
an  idea  of  the  supreme  unity  of  the  cosmos  in  colossal 
and  calmly  meditating  representations  of  the  Blessed 
One.” 

The  development  of  the  idea  of  union  between  spirit 
and  matter  led,  during  the  Jogan  period,  794—900, 
to  the  representation  of  different  attributes  of  the  all- 
producing  Godhead  as  separate  emanations.  Thus  was 
created  a  pantheon  of  symbolical  conceptions,  which, 
by  their  nearer  approach  to  human  kind,  gained  in 
vigor  while  losing  some  of  the  solemnity  of  the  earlier 
works. 

In  the  Fujiwara  period,  900—1190,  Japan,  having 
assimilated  the  teachings  of  the  continent,  began  to 
evolve  an  art  and  culture  more  nationally  distinctive. 
With  a  return  to  ancient  modes  of  thought,  including 
the  idealization  of  womanhood,  the  gods  became  almost 
maternal,  and,  in  their  infinite  mercy  and  compassion, 
granted  salvation  to  even  the  weakest.  The  paintings 
and  sculpture  of  this  period  are  characterized  by  great 
delicacy  of  line  and  color,  accompanied  by  the  lavish 
use  of  gold  as  representing  the  yellow  light  of  Paradise. 
Such  conceptions,  however,  sapped  the  virility  of  the 
court,  with  the  result  that  the  effeminate  nobility  left 
the  enforcement  of  authority  throughout  the  country 
to  despised  provincial  governors.  The  governors,  pro¬ 
totypes  of  the  daimyo  of  a  succeeding  age,  soon  usurped 
all  power,  and  through  their  mutual  jealousies  and 
struggles  almost  brought  about  a  condition  of  anarchy. 
Out  of  this  turmoil  arose  the  commanding  figure  of 
Minamoto  Yoritomo,  who,  aided  by  his  chivalrous 
brother  Yoshitsune,  seized  the  chief  power,  under  the 
title  of  Shogun,  great  genera!,”  and  in  1190  fixed 
his  capital  at  Kamakura. 

During  the  T'ang  (A.  D.  618-90?)  and  Sung 
(960~1280)  Dynasties,  Taoist  and  Neo-Confucian  ten¬ 
dencies  of  thought  had  brought  to  the  fore  in  China 


302 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  AUT 


the  Zen  sect  of  Buddhism,  which,  discarding  ritual, 
sought  salvation  through  self-concentration  and  medi¬ 
tation.  This  school  endeavored  to  establish  direct 
communion  with  the  inner  spirit  of  things,  regardless 
of  their  external  accessories,  and  deemed  the  least 
atom  as  equal  in  importance  to  the  greatest  god  in 
the  cosmic  unity,  a  conception  which  had  a  vast  effect 
on  contemporary  art  and  gave  birth  to  those  simple 
ink  sketches  whose  slightest  stroke  is  replete  with 
meaning.  This  was  the  great  era  of  landscape  paint¬ 
ing,  which  no  longer  remained  subsidiary  to  some  figure 
or  incident  portrayed,  but  became  an  end  in  itself  and 
produced  those  delightful  and  poetic  sketches  in  which 
the  Sung  masters,  true  impressionists,  give  us  the  echo 
of  a  distant  temple  bell  or  the  soft  hush  that  comes 
before  the  snow  (see  plates,  pp.  331  and  332). 

During  the  wars  which  in  Japan  ushered  in  the 
Kamakura  epoch,  1190-1337,  there  was  developed  a 
spirit  of  individualism  and  hero-worship  which,  together 
with  the  introduction  of  Zen  modes  of  thought  and  the 
establishment  of  a  system  of  military  feudalism,  had  a 
great  effect  upon  contemporary  art.  This  was  the 
great  age  of  portraiture  both  in  sculpture  and  painting, 
when  even  the  gods  assumed  more  individualized  char¬ 
acteristics,  and  artists  delighted  in  representing  the 
stress  of  battle  and  the  achievements  of  famous  war¬ 
riors  and  saints  (see  plates,  pp.  318  and  335).  To 
overawe  the  populace,  we  now  first  find  paintings  of 
the  horrors  of  hell,  executed  with  the  same  strength 
of  delineation  and  vigorous  spirit  of  action  which 
characterizes  the  other  work  of  this  period. 

Owing  to  the  steady  growth  of  Zenism,  with  its 
subjective  idealism  and  search  after  the  inner  spirit  of 
things,  the  Ashikaga  period,  1337~1582,  is  marked  by 
the  general  elimination  of  color  and  detail  from  paint¬ 
ing.  The  great  Ashikaga  masters,  like  Sesshu  and  his 
illustrious  host  of  followers,  in  their  enthusiasm  for 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


303 


simplicity,  preferred  the  natural  beauties  of  a  bird  or 
a  flower  to  those  of  subjects  more  overlaid  by  circum¬ 
stance  (see  plate,  p.  336 ).  From  now  on  painting 
truly  becomes  writing  (the  Japanese  use  the  same  word 
for  the  two  arts),  and  a  pictured  scene  becomes  rather 
an  essay  or  poem  than  a  representation.  The  search 
for  hidden  beauty  in  all  things  caused  even  the  great¬ 
est  artists  of  this  period  eagerly  to  apply  their  genius 
to  the  design  and  decoration  of  the  humblest  household 
utensils.  In  carrying  out  the  idea  of  hidden  beauty, 
they  often  concealed  their  finest  work  beneath  a  com¬ 
paratively  plain  exterior,  a  practice  which  has  to  some 
extent  survived  till  the  present  day. 

The  feudal  barons  of  the  Ashikaga  period  were  con¬ 
stantly  warring  one  with  another,  each  striving  to 
obtain  supreme  control  of  the  government.  Out  of 
this  state  of  chaos  arose  the  figure  of  Toyotomi  Hide- 
yoshi,  a  man  of  the  humblest  origin,  who,  by  his 
Napoleonic  genius,  became  in  1582  virtual  ruler  over 
a  unified  Japan.  Like  most  parvenus,  he  and  his  en¬ 
nobled  generals  sought  in  their  palaces  for  gorgeous 
effects,  often  replacing  the  sober  refinement  of  the 
Ashikaga  decoration  by  a  wealth  of  gold  and  brilliant 
color.  In  conformance  with  the  taste  of  his  patrons, 
Eitoku  and  his  army  of  pupils  studied  the  models 
brought  back  by  Hideyoshi’s  generals  on  their  return 
from  Korea,  and  upon  their  own  native  golden  screens 
enthusiastically  produced  gorgeous  palace  scenes  after 
the  fashion  of  the  Ming  Academy,  bountiful  of  color 
and  exuberant  of  spirit  (see  plate,  p.  340). 

Affected  by  the  spirit  of  the  times,  Koetsu  (d.  163?) 
and  his  great  followers,  Sotatsu  (middle  seventeenth 
century)  and  Korin  (d.  1716),  established  the  school 
commonly  known  as  that  of  Korin.  This  school  sought 
to  combine  the  rich  coloring  of  pre- Ashikaga  days  with 
the  bold  treatment  of  the  Zen  school,  and,  anticipating 
the  French  impressionists  by  two  centuries,  depended 


304 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


for  its  effects  rather  on  broad  masses  of  color  than  on 
line  (see  plate,  p.  343). 

After  the  death  of  Hideyoshi,  Iyeyasu,  the  greatest 
of  the  daimios,  founded  the  Tokugawa  Shogunate, 
and  through  his  Machiavellian  skill  in  statecraft  insti¬ 
tuted  a  complicated  system  of  control  which  enabled 
his  descendants  peacefully  to  retain  the  Shogunate 
until  the  Restoration  of  1868. 

Under  the  encouragement  of  Iyeyasu  and  his  imme¬ 
diate  successors,  Kano  Tanyu  and  his  followers  endeav¬ 
ored  to  return  to  the  purity  of  the  Ashikaga  masters, 
but  with  only  partial  success,  for  the  spirit  of  the  times 
was  against  them,  and  the  new  nobility  and  rising 
middle  class  demanded  something  more  decorative  and 
easily  understood  than  the  spiritual  concepts  of  Zen 
philosophy.  In  response  to  this  demand  there  arose 
a  more  democratic  school,  and  Sanraku  (l 559-1 636), 
gifted  successor  of  Eitoku,  Itcho  (1651-1724),  and 
many  another  skilled  painter  employed  their  brushes 
in  depicting  popular  festivals  and  other  everyday  inci¬ 
dents,  thus  preparing  the  way  for  the  Ukiyo-e,  or 
school  of  common  life. 

After  centuries,  during  which  the  various  great  feudal 
princes  had  been  almost  constantly  at  war  with  each 
other,  came  the  long  Tokugawa  peace  ”  and  the  rise 
of  the  commons  to  positions  of  wealth  and  ease.  These 
people  demanded  an  art  which  they  could  understand, 
and  in  response  to  their  call  many  Kano  and  other 
artists  began  depicting  the  popular  festivals  and 
customs  of  the  day  with  all  the  technical  skill  and 
tradition  of  their  art  heritage.  In  connection  with 
this  movement  the  art  of  printing  in  colors  from 
wooden  blocks  was  brought  to  a  high  state  of  per¬ 
fection,  but  as  later  artists  of  the  school,  with  a  few 
notable  exceptions,  in  accordance  with  the  popular 
demand,  turned  their  attention  for  the  most  part 
to  the  portrayal  of  popular  actors  and  beauties  of 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


305 


the  Yoshiwara,  their  work  narrowed  and  finally  came 
to  an  end  amid  the  general  upheaval  attendant  on  the 
Restoration  of  1868. 

In  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century  there  arose 
in  Kyoto  a  realistic  school,  which  owed  its  inspiration 
partly  to  the  inception  of  a  similar  movement  in  China 
and  partly  to  a  direct  study  of  European  models. 
Under  such  masters  as  Okyo,  1733—1795,  and  Ganku, 
1749-1838,  this  school  produced  many  delicate  and 
graceful  compositions,  which,  however,  sometimes 
lacked  the  conviction  inherent  in  the  works  of  the 
Ashikaga  and  Toyotomi  masters  (see  plate,  p.  344). 

Amid  the  turmoil  of  the  Restoration  of  1868  and 
the  subsequent  indiscriminate  enthusiasm  for  every¬ 
thing  Occidental,  Japan  for  a  while  regarded  her 
native  art  and  its  ideals  as  necessarily  inferior  to  those 
of  the  countries  whose  scientific  and  mechanical  tri¬ 
umphs  she  so  greatly  admired.  Gradually  however, 
after  a  more  intimate  acquaintance  with  the  West,  the 
people  of  Japan  are  beginning  to  realize  that  in  some 
respects  their  own  ancient  civilization  by  no  means 
suffers  in  comparison  with  that  of  Europe  and  America, 
and  many  artists,  adopting  from  foreign  practice  such 
aids  as  seem  to  them  desirable,  are  again  seeking 
inspiration  from  the  ideals  of  their  own  early  masters. 

F.  G.  C. 


Bibliography.  —  W.  Anderson,  Descriptive  and  Historical 
Catalogue  of  a  Collection  of  Japanese  and  Chinese  Paintings 
in  the  British  Museum,  London,  1886  ;  H.  A.  Giles,  Introduc¬ 
tion  to  the  History  of  Chinese  Pictorial  Art ,  Shanghai,  1905  ; 
E.  F.  Strange,  Japanese  Illustration,  History  of  the  Arts  of 
Wood-Carving  and  Colour  Printing  in  Japan,  London,  1897, 
and  Japanese  Colour  Prints,  London,  1904  ;  W.  von  Seidlitz, 
Geschichte  des  Japanischen  Farbenholzschnitts,  Dresden,  1897 
(English  translation,  London,  1910) ;  the  Catalogues  of  the 
Exhibitions  of  Japanese  Prints  held  at  the  Musee  des  Arts 
Decoratifs,  Paris,  1909,  1910,  1911  ;  S.  W.  Bushell,  Chinese 
Art,  2  vols.,  London,  1904;  A.  Morrison,  The  Painters  of  Japan, 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


306 

2  vols. ;  E.  Eenollosa,  Epochs  of  Chinese  and  Japanese  Art, 
New  York  (n.  d.);  O.  Kiimmel,  Kunstgewerbe  in  Japan, 
Berlin,  1911;  M.  A.  Stein,  Ancient  Khotan,  2  vols.,  Oxford, 
1907;  E.  Chavannes,  La  Sculpture  sur  Pierre  en  Chine,  Paris, 
1893;  Mission  Archeologique  dans  la  Chine  Septentionale,  Paris, 
1909-13;  Havell,  Indian  Sculpture  and  Painting,  London, 
1908,  and  The  Ideals  of  Indian  Art;  B.  Laufer,  Chinese  Pottery 
of  the  Han  Dynasty,  Leiden,  1909,  Jade,  A  Study  in  Chinese 
Archceology  and  Religion,  Chicago,  1912;  Illustrated  Cata¬ 
logue  of  Early  Chinese  Pottery  and  Porcelain,  Burlington  Fine 
Arts  Club,  1910;  Japanese  Temples  and  Their  Treasures,  Tokyo, 
1910;  and  Histoire  de  L'  Art  du  Japon,  Paris,  1900;  Okakura- 
Kakuzo,  Ideals  of  the  East  with  Especial  Reference  to  the  Art 
of  Japan,  second  edition.  New  York,  1907;  The  Awakening  of 
Japan,  New  York,  1904;  The  Book  of  Tea,  New  York,  1906; 
M.  Anesaki,  Buddhist  Art  in  its  Relation  to  Buddhist  Ideals, 
Museum  of  Fine  Arts,  Boston,  1915;  Ars  Asiatica,  Etudes  et 
documents  publics  sous  la  direction  de  Victor  Goloubew,  Paris, 
1912-14;  A.  Brockhaus,  Netsuke,  Versuch  einer  Geschichte  der 
jupanischen  Schnitzkunst  (second  edition),  Leipzig,  1909;  L. 
Binyon,  Painting  in  the  Far  East,  London,  1913;  R.  Petrucci, 
Les  Caracteristiques  de  la  PeintureJaponaise,Revuede  V  Universite 
de  Bruxelles,  Nos.  4-5,  1907;  Philosophic  de  la  Nature  dans 
1' Art  d' Extreme-Orient,  Paris,  1910.  The  Library  of  the 
Department  is  adequately  provided  with  related  books  in  the 
Chinese  and  Japanese  languages. 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


307 


Sculpture 

The  earliest  examples  of  Chinese  stone  sculpture  known 
to  us  date  from  the  Han  period,  B.  C.  206~A.  D.  221. 
They  are,  for  the  most  part,  in  the  form  of  thickish 
slabs  of  gray  limestone  decorated  on  one  side  with 
chiselled  drawings  of  semi-legendary  scenes,  and  were 
used  as  sheathing  for  the  small  anti-vaults  and  more 
imposing  pillars  built  to  mark  the  graves  of  important 
people.  Of  these  slabs  the  Museum  possesses  several 
specimens  which  may  be  attributed  to  the  second  cen¬ 
tury  of  our  era.  The  designs  they  bear  are  executed 
in  broad  outline,  with  so  little  suggestion  of  relief 
modelling  that  they  seem  to  be  more  nearly  related  to 
painting  than  to  sculpture.  They  are,  moreover,  char¬ 
acteristically  Chinese  —  quite  unaffected,  apparently, 
either  in  motive  or  in  technique,  by  the  religious  ideas 
and  arts  which  had  found  their  way  from  Buddhist 
India  to  China  at  least  one  hundred  years  before  the 
date  assumed  for  these  slabs.  Three  centuries  later, 
however,  the  influence  of  Buddhism  was  already  widely 
disseminated  among  the  Chinese,  and  was  everywhere 
stimulating  the  production  of  monumental  sculpture 
in  the  round  —  a  form  of  artistic  expression  for  which 
the  Chinese  seem  never  before  to  have  felt  any 
great  need. 

In  the  Museum’s  numerous  collection  of  Buddhist 
and  Taoist  sculpture  this  striking  development  of 
what  was  practically  a  new  art  in  China  may  be  ade¬ 
quately  followed  throughout  the  period  of  its  greatest 
activity,- — from  the  fifth  to  the  ninth  century, — 
special  attention  being  merited  by  the  seated  figure  of 
Maitreya  and  the  standing  figure  of  Padmapani, —  both 
of  heroic  size, —  the  wooden  statue  of  a  Bodhisattva  and 


3oS 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


the  smaller  marble  statue  of' a  Bodhisattva, —  each  one 
typical  of  an  important  phase  in  this  brilliant  evolution. 

As  examples  of  early  Japanese  sculpture  there  is  a 
rather  provincial  but  interesting  wooden  statue  of 
K  wan  non,  probably  of  the  early  Tempyo  period 
(729-793),  and  a  heroic  standing  Bodhisattva  of  the 
late  Tempyo  period,  carved — with  the  exception  of 
the  arms,  which  are  a  later  restoration — from  a  single 
block  of  wood.  This  figure  follows  late  Six  Dynasties 
and  early  Tang  ideals,  but  with  a  certain  softening 
of  line  and  nearer  approach  to  humanity  peculiar  to 
all  Japanese  translations  from  the  Chinese.  Another 
very  fine  example  of  the  work  of  this  period  is  a  little 
bronze  statue  of  a  Kwannon  in  which  dignity  and 
tenderness  are  wonderfully  combined,  while  the  fol¬ 
lowing  Jogan  period  (794—900)  is  represented  by  a 
number  of  specimens,  among  which  is  a  classically 
Chinese  wooden  figure  of  Taishaku-ten  (the  gift  of  a 
member  of  the  Department)  once  completely  overlaid 
with  a  brilliant  decoration  of  mitsudaso,”  a  mixture 
of  oil,  pigment,  and  white  lead,  of  which  traces  re¬ 
main  on  the  face,  hands,  and  a  few  small  portions  of 
the  robe. 

Among  the  Fujiwara  pieces  (900— 1 192)  is  a  Dai-Itoku 
of  the  tenth  century,  whose  triple  head  shows  wonder¬ 
ful  modelling,  and  a  large  Amida,  whose  calm,  dispas¬ 
sionate  serenity  Avell  expresses  the  trend  of  religious 
thought  at  that  period. 

Among  a  number  of  Kamakura  ( 1 193— 1 392)  pieces 
are  two  small  figures  of  monks  whose  individuality 
stands  forth  strongly,  and  a  dated  (1322)  Jizo,  which 
well  shows  the  closer  approach,  in  this  period  of  indi¬ 
vidualism  and  hero  worship,  of  divine  types  toward 
those  of  humanity. 

In  the  Ashikaga  (l393— 1573)  and  Tokugawa  (l603— 
1808)  periods  representations  of  the  gods  became 
highly  formalized,  while  the  development  of  the 
iVo-d rama,  in  which  ancient  heroes  and  semi-mythical 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


309 


characters  related  their  philosophic  and  temporal 
adventures,  called  forth  a  school  of  mask  carvers, 
perhaps  the  greatest  ever  known  in  the  world’s  his¬ 
tory,  of  whose  work  the  Museum  possesses  some  fine 
specimens.  F.  G.  C. 


Bronze  AUarpiece 

The  Buddha  Amitabha  and  Attendants 
Chinese,  A.  1 K  503 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


310 


Gift  of  Dr.  D.  W.  Ross  and  Messrs.  G.  M.  Lane, 
Alexander  Cochrane,  and  G.  R.  White. 


CHINESE  SCULPTURE 


3 1 1 


The  Bodhisattva  Maitreya 

Chinese,  Early  Fifth  Century  Height,  1.965  m. 

Given  by  Dr.  Denman  W.  Ross  in  memory  of 
Okakura-Kakuzo,  late  Curator  of  Chinese  and  Japanese 
Art  at  the  Museum. 


312 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


Padmapani 

Chinese,  Late  Sixth  or  Early  Seventh  Century  Height,  2.490  rn. 


Accession  by  purchase.  1915 


CHINESE  SCULPTURE 


313 


Marble  Bodhisattva  Chinese,  Seventh  Century 
Excavated  in  Shensi.  Accession  by  purchase.  1907. 


Wooden  Statue  of  a  Bodhisattva 
Japanese,  Tempyo  Period,  A.  1>.  700-800 


3H  CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


JAPANESE  SCULPTURE 


315 


Bronze  Kwannon,  Japanese,  Tempyo  Period,  700-800 

Kwannon,  spiritual  son  of  Amida,  the  compassionate 
Bodhisattva  whose  tender  pity  towards  all  creation 
forbids  his  entering  Nirvana  until  the  utmost  atom  in 
the  universe  shall  have  gone  before.  Although  gener¬ 
ally  represented,  especially  in  later  art,  as  feminine  in 
aspect,  Kwannon  was  originally  conceived  as  a  youth 
approaching  manhood  . 


3  1 6  CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


Dai-Itoku,  Wooden  Sculpture,  Japanese,  Tenth  Century 
Fujiwara  Period,  900-1190 

Dai-Itoku,  one  of  the  five  Myo-o,  or  protectors  of 
the  people. 


JAPANESE  SCULPTURE 


317 


Fudo 

Japanese,  Fitjiwara  Period,  Twelfth  Century 

The  deity  who,  rising  from  the  cleansing  flame, 
cleaves  through  evil  and  binds  desire. 


3 1 8  CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


Seishi,  Wooden  Sculpture  {detail),  late  Thirteenth  Century 
Kamakura  Period,  1 190-1337 

The  Bodhisattva,  spiritual  son  of  Amida,  is  repre¬ 
sented  as  paying  reverence  to  a  soul  newly  arrived  in 
paradise. 


JAPANESE  SCULPTURE 


319 


Jizo,  Wooden  Sculpture,  bearing  date  1322 
Kamakura  Period,  1190-1337 


The  merciful  Bodhisattva,  who  travels  through  the 
worlds  saving  souls.  In  his  right  hand  he  holds  the 
staff  whose  jangling  rings  warn  all  minute  creatures 
from  beneath  his  feet.  In  his  left  hand  is  the  jewel 

of  life. 


320 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


A  Patriarch  of  the  IIosso  Sect 

Japanese  Wooden  Sculpture,  Kamakura  Period,  A. T).  1190-1337 


JAPANESE  MASKS 


321 


Japanese,  “No”  mask,  signed  Sukemitsu.  Early  eigh¬ 
teenth  century. 

The  “No”  is  a  semi-religious  opera  dealing  with 
historical  and  legendary  incidents  through  a  Buddhist 
interpretation. 


A  Boy 


Ghost  of  Kawazu 


Japanese,  “No”  mask. 
Middle  of  the  sixteenth 
oentury. 


The  Spirit  of  the  Pine  Tree 


Japanese,  “No”  mask. 
Early  sixteenth  century. 


322 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


Painting 

The  oldest  and  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  inter¬ 
esting  pieces  in  the  collection  is  a  Hokke  Mandara, 
representing  the  Buddha  seated  upon  the  ‘  Eagle 
Peak  ”  in  the  midst  of  an  attendant  concourse  of 
Bodhisattva  and  Rakan,  to  whom  he  expounds  the 
Mahayana  principle.  Although  much  of  the  back¬ 
ground  and  lower  part  of  the  picture  has  been  de¬ 
stroyed,  one  finds  in  the  figure  of  the  “  Blessed  One  ” 
and  his  attendants  the  same  calm  sublimity  of  spirit 
and  exquisite  feeling  for  line  which  mark  our  famous 
marble  torso  of  Kwannon,  but  in  this  case  with  the 
added  glory  of  that  color  which  the  latter  has  lost, 
while  a  close  study  of  the  background  yields  us  con¬ 
siderable  insight  to  a  feature  of  T  ang  painting  hitherto 
little  known. 

The  celebrated  album  of  Yuan  Yuan,  a  scholar  and 
expert  of  the  eighteenth  century,  which  has  recently 
come  into  our  possession,  contains  a  number  of  little 
Tang  and  Sung  paintings  of  exquisite  quality,  while 
in  the  roll  of  the  Emperor  Hui  Tsung  we  have  a 
wonderfully  preserved  example  of  the  delicate  drawing 
and  fascinating  color  of  a  great  artist  following,  accord¬ 
ing  to  tradition,  the  work  of  a  T  ang  master.  Besides 
the  ten  paintings  of  the  Daitokuji  Rakan  set  we  have 
a  complete  set  of  sixteen  Rakans  by  Lu  Hsin-chung 
(Rikushinchu),  with  the  artist’s  signature  in  small 
characters  upon  the  trunk  of  a  pine  tree  in  one  of 
them. 

Among  the  Sino  and  Nepali-Tibetan  paintings  we 
have,  one  of  them  a  Shaka,  five  pieces  from  a  very  fine 
and  rare  Yuan  set  of  Rakans,  taken  from  the  Lamasery 
of  the  summer  palace  at  its  sacking  in  1860,  while  of 
the  Ming  Academicians  we  have  a  number  of  notable 
examples,  including  a  long  roll  Spring  Festival,” 
attributed  to  Ch  iu  Ying,  a  fine  mountain  landscape  by 
Lan  Ying,  and  a  deliciously  delicate  “Harp  Player  in 
a  Pavilion  ”  by  Ch  iu  Ying. 


PAINTING 


323 


The  eight  Fujiwara  Buddhist  paintings  in  the 
Japanese  Collection  are  all  of  high  quality,  especially, 
perhaps,  the  great  tenth  century  Bishamon  Mandara, 
with  its  wonderful  sweep  of  line  and  color,  surely  the 
original  composition  of  a  great  master,  while  among 
the  one  hundred  and  thirty-three  Buddhist  paintings 
of  the  Kamakura  period  it  would  be  strange  indeed  if 
there  were  not  some  of  the  highest  order,  full  of  the 
vigor  and  stern  individualism  of  that  warlike  era.  Of 
the  Kamakura  Romantic  school  we  have  a  fragment 
from  the  famous  Jigoku  Zoshi  or  Hell  scenes  and  one 
of  the  three  famous  rolls,  formerly  attributed  to  Sumi- 
yoshi  Keion,  which  hold  first  rank  among  the  battle 
pictures  of  Japan. 

Among  the  one  hundred  and  eleven  Ashikaga  Bud¬ 
dhist  paintings  are  many  rich  pieces,  but  the  greatest 
talent  of  the  day  followed  the  triumphant  march  of 
Zen  thought,  and  expressed  itself  mostly  in  the  strong 
black  and  white  impressionism  of  Sesshu  and  his  noble 
following.  Among  the  eighty-eight  screens  and  paint¬ 
ings  of  this  era  in  the  Museum  may  be  mentioned  a 
Josetsu  landscape  from  the  Kobori  Enshu  Collection,  a 
pair  of  monkey  and  bird  screens  painted  by  Sesshu  at 
the  age  of  seventy-two  years,  and  a  pair  of  monkey 
screens  formerly  attributed  to  Sesson,  but  now  proved 
to  be  part  of  the  same  set  of  which  the  Miyoshinji 
Temple  possesses  two  examples  mounted  as  kakemono 
and  known  to  be  the  work  of  Tohaku. 

Of  the  Post  Ashikaga  Idealistic  and  early  Kano 
schools  we  have  fine  specimens  of  nearly  all  the  great 
masters,  together  with  several  splendid  pairs  of  golden 
flower  screens  by  Sotatsu,  the  far-famed  wave  screen  ” 
of  Korin,  and  other  smaller  paintings  by  these  artists 
and  their  followers.  The  long  Tokugawa  Peace,” 
1603-1868,  witnessed  a  period  of  luxury  during  which 
the  Kano  Academy,  the  latter  Tosa  school,  Kyoto 
Naturalists,  the  new  Ukiyo-e  school,  and  others,  vied 


324 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


with  each  other  in  the  quality  and  quantity  of  then- 
artistic  output,  fine  specimens  of  which,  by  the  best 
masters  of  the  day,  may  be  freely  found  among  the 
many  pieces  in  the  Museum. 

Owing  to  the  great  size  of  the  collection,  even  with 
greatly  added  facilities  for  exhibition,  the  Department 
will  never  be  able  to  put  before  the  public  at  any  one 
time  more  than  a  very  small  proportion  of  its  treasures  ; 
it  will,  however,  be  always  ready  to  receive  visitors  at 
its  executive  office,  and  to  show  them,  under  such 
regulations  as  are  necessary,  any  further  paintings 
which  they  may  desire  to  see.  F.  G.  C 


CHINESE  PAINTING 


325 


Bodhisattva,  detail  from  the  ' ‘  II  ok  ke  Mandara ” 


Painting  in  lull  color  on  silk,  probably  Chinese  of 
the  T'ang  Dynasty,  A.  D.  618-907. 


326 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


The  Arhant  ( Lohan  J  Darblia  MalU-putra  ascending  to  the  sky 
in  contemplation  of  water  and  fire 

By  Chon  Chi-chang  ( Shu  Ki-jo)  and  Lin  Ting-kuei  ( Bin  Tei-keiJ 
Chinese ,  'Twelfth  Century 


CHINESE  PAINTING 


327 


Chinese  Buddhist  Painting  by  Lu  Hsin-chung  (Rikn  Shin-ehu) 
Early  Thirteenth  Century 

A  Lohan  beside  a  lotus  pond,  sitting  in  contempla¬ 
tion  beneath  a  willow  tree.  One  of  a  set  of  sixteen, 
in  full  color  on  silk. 


328 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


Shaka,  full  color  on  canvas  Sino-Tibetan,  Fourteenth  Century 
The  Museum  possesses  five  of  this  set* 


CHINESE  PAINTING  3 2 9 


Dai  Nichi,  full  color  on  silk 
Japanese,  Fujiwara  Period  Late  Eleventh  Century 


33o 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


Detail  from  Makimono  “  Preparivff  the,  N’ew  Silk ” 

Chinese,  painted  by  the  Emperor  Hui  Tsung,  early 
twelfth  century.  Said  to  have  been  after  the  work  of 
a  T'ang  master.  Full  color  on  silk. 


CHINESE  PAINTING 


33i 


332 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


Winter  Landscape  attributed  to  Fan  Ku  an 
Chinese,  early  Sung,  Tenth  Century 


CHINESE  PAINTING 


333 


Fish.  Ink  Painting  on  Silk 
Chinese.  Early  Ming  Dynasty,  1368-1644 
Attributed  to  Lai  An 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


. 


mm 


Waterfall  Middle  of  the  Ming  Period,  1368-16 4A 


JAPANESE  PAINTING 


335 


Detail  from  the  Heiji  Monogatari  Roll,  early  Thirteenth  Century 
Kamakura  Period,  1190-1337 

The  roll  is  painted  in  full  color  on  paper,  and  with  the  inscription  is 
24  feet  long  (see  p.  302). 


336  CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


Left-hand  screen:  birds,  pine  trees,  and  waterfall,  in  ink.  The  pair  of  screens,  of 
which  this  is  one,  in  monochrome,  was  painted  by  Sesshu  in  1492,  when  he  was 
seventy-two  years  old. 


JAPANESE  PAINTING 


337 


Landscape  Ashikaga  Period.  1337-1582 

Painting  on  paper  in  ink,  with  slight  color.  School  of 
Motonobu,  1477-1559. 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


Falcmi  an  a  Rock  Ashikaga  Period ,  1337-1582 

In  monochrome,  on  paper,  by  Kaihoku-Yusho,  1532- 
1615. 


JAPANESE  PAINTING 


339 


I 


<s> 

s 


One  of  a  pair  of  screens  in  monochrome. 


340  CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


JAPANESE  PAINTING 


341 


Painting  on  paper  in  monochrome,  by  Kano  Tanyu,  1602-1 674,  showing’  Confucius 
attended  by  his  disciples  Ganshi  and  Shoshi. 


342 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


Impressionist  Landscape  Kano  School,  Seventeenth  Century  Tokugawa  Period,  1603-1868 

Painted  in  monochrome  on  paper,  by  Hokkyo  Shokei. 


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JAPANESE  PAINTING 


An  admirable  example  of  the  bold  decorative  treatment  of  the  Koetsu  school. 


344 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


Light  color  on  silk, 


wttBUm 


JAPANESE  PAINTING 


345 


Pea  Fowl  School  of  Soshiseki,  Eighteenth  Century 
Tokugawa  Period ,  1603-1868 

Full  color  on  silk,  probably  by  Soshiseki's 
Soshizan,  1732-1805. 


son 


346  CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


7>g er  'l'okugawa  Period,  1603-1868 

Painted  by  Ganku,  1749-1838,  who  founded  the  Kishi 
School.  In  monochrome,  on  silk ;  slight  suggestion  of  color. 


JAPANESE  PAINTING 


347 


Cormorant  Nishiyama  lio-en 

Middle  Nineteenth  Century 


348  CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


A  youth  having  his  hair  dressed 
Painted  by  Hishikawa  Moronobu  ( 1625-1695 J 
Japanese ,  Ukiyo-e  School 


JAPANESE  PAINTING 


349 


Japanese  Prints 

In  Japan  engraved  wood-blocks  were  employed  for 
the  purpose  of  multiplying  Buddhist  images  in  outline 
as  early  as  844,  the  art  having  been  introduced  from 
China  at  a  somewhat  earlier  date. 1  The  first  known 
Japanese  printed  picture  of  a  secular  subject  may  be 
assigned  to  the  twelfth  century,  though  in  this  instance 
the  printing  was  only  intended  as  a  guide  for  the 
further  application  of  ink  and  color.  It  is,  however, 
not  until  about  16602  that  prints  illustrative  of  popular 
themes  began  to  be  produced  in  single  sheets  as  inex¬ 
pensive  substitutes  for  paintings  of  the  genre  school, 
which  by  this  date  had  become  firmly  and  independ¬ 
ently  established  under  the  name  of  the  Ukiyo-e,  or 
“  Pictures  of  the  Fleeting  World.”  The  development 
of  this  school,  which  in  the  West  is  best  represented 
by  the  prints,  has  covered  nearly  three  hundred  years, 
and  may  be  divided  into  (l)  the  period  during  which 
artists  of  repute  devoted  themselves  to  painting  popular 
subjects  under  the  patronage  of  the  powerful  and  the 
wealthy  ;  (2)  the  period  when  prints  gradually  made 
their  appearance  as  substitutes  for  the  contemporary 
genre  paintings  which  had  become  more  plebeian  in 
motive  and  in  quality ;  (3)  the  period  beginning  with 
the  full  development  of  wood  block  printing  and  end¬ 
ing  with  its  complete  degeneration,  during  which  the 
artists  of  the  Ukiyo-e,  catering  to  the  masses,  designed 
almost  exclusively  for  prints. 

These  prints,  produced,  generally  speaking,  by  com¬ 
mercial  houses  to  supply  the  demands  of  popular  taste, 
naturally  treated  of  themes  which  were  popularly 

'The  records  show  that  Buddhist  scriptures  were  printed 
from  wood-blocks  in  China  as  long  ago  as  593,  and  in  Japan 
in  750. 

2The  first  publication  of  wood-block  prints  in  single  sheets 
depicting  current  events  may  with  certainty  be  assigned  to 
the  early  seventeenth  century. 


350 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


appreciated  —  familiar  plays,  celebrated  actors,  famous 
courtesans,  noted  scenery,  current  events,  etc., —  in 
fact,  almost  every  phase  of  nature  and  of  the  pictur¬ 
esque  life  amid  which  the  common  people  moved. 

The  technical  development  of  the  Japanese  color- 
print  may  be  roughly  traced  through  the  following- 
stages:  Sumizuri  (prints  solely  in  black  and  white), 
Tan-e  (black  and  white  prints  to  which  tan  or  red 
oxide  of  lead  also  was  applied  by  hand,  occasionally 
supplemented  by  yellow,  green,  or  brown),  Beni-e 1 
(hand-colored  prints  in  which  two  or  more  colors  are 
used,  beni  or  rouge  being  their  principal  feature,  with 
frequent  use  of  brass  Hakes),  Urushi-e  (prints  chiefly 
distinguished  by  adding  to  beni-e  masses  of  lustrous 
black  produced  by  the  use  of  a  thick  pigment  over¬ 
laid  with  a  coating  of  glue  and  resembling  the  black 
lacquer  or  urushi  surface),  Irozuri 2  (prints  exhibiting 
chiefly  beni  and  green  printed  from  wood-blocks),  and 
Nishiki-e  (polychromatic  wood-block  prints). 

To  appreciate  Japanese  prints  one  must  bear  in  mind 
that  they  were  produced  through  the  combined  efforts 
of  three  individuals,  — the  designer,  the  wood-block 
carver,  and  the  printer,  —  all  of  whom  worked  more  or 
less  under  the  control  of  the  publishers. 

The  Museum  possesses  a  large  and  comprehensive 
collection  of  Japanese  prints  principally  from  the 
Bigelow  Collection,  greatly  augmented  by  the  Ross 
Collection;  and  though  only  a  small  portion  is  shown 
in  the  galleries  at  one  time,  the  remainder  is  accessible 
to  students  in  the  Department  Study,  where  literature 
on  the  subject,  including  contemporary  illustrated 
books,  may  be  consulted.  K.  T. 

1The  general  tendency  in  the  present  day  is  to  apply  the 
term  beni-e  to  the  variety  of  prints  here  classed  as  irozuri. 
However,  in  accordance  with  old  records  and  on  the  strength 
of  evidence  presented  by  the  prints  themselves,  we  adhere  to 
the  above  definition. 

2 Though  this  may  be  too  broad  a  term,  it  is  here  adopted 
for  lack  of  a  better  one;  such  a  use  is  not  without  foundation. 


JAPANESE  PAINTING 


351 


Two  Women  in  a  Spring  Breeze 
( Harunobu  1725-1770) 


352 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


Musashino,  the  Moor  of  Musaslii  Province  Signature.  Utamaro  hitsu;  Publisher,  Tsutar-ya 

By  Kitagawa  Utamaro  ( 1754-1806 ) 

Women  carrying  lanterns  and  fans  are  searching  the  moorland  for  an  eloping  couple, 
here  shown  in  the  left-hand  panel.  In  the  background  a  huge  moon  is  rising. 


JAPANESE  PAINTING 


353 


Japanese  Print  ( hand  colored )  by  Kwaigetsudo 
Eighteenth  Century 


354 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


Set/a  nia  Kikunojo  IT  as  O-IIatsu  Ichikawa  Yaozo  11  as  Tokubei 
Color  prints  designed  by  Buvcho,  circa  1760-1780 
Japanese  Ukiyo-e  School 

The  Minor  Arts 

In  China  and  Japan,  as  elsewhere,  the  minor  and 
applied  arts  echo  the  aims  and  ideals  expressed  in 
sculpture  and  painting,  and  quite  as  definitely  show 
their  derivation  and  inter-relation.  Thus  the  surface 
of  a  sword  guard  may  remind  us  of  the  Zen  tenet  that 
the  least  atom  is  of  cosmic  importance,  and  the  carving 
of  a  netsuke  emphasize  the  debt  —  honorably  acknowl¬ 
edged  and  nobly  acquitted  —  which  the  Japanese  owe 
to  the  older  life  of  China. 


JAPANESE  PAINTING 


355 


The  oldest  remains  of  Chinese  civilization  which  we 
know  are  bronzes  and  jades.  They  are  vessels,  coins, 
and  implements  of  various  kinds,  which  have  lasted 
partly  because  of  the  durable  material  of  which  they 
are  made,  partly  because  since  prehistoric  times  the 
Chinese  have  regarded  them  as  precious.  The  Museum 
collection  of  bronzes  carries  us  very  far  back  into  the 
life  of  the  Chinese,  and  illustrates  the  beauty  of  the 
forms  and  designs  which  the  Chinese  so  loved  that  they 
echoed  and  re-echoed  them  through  succeeding  ages 
of  development.  Together  with  such  jades  as  the 
Museum  possesses, —  ceremonial  implements,  insignia 
of  rank,  precious  objects  for  intimate  use, —  they  indi¬ 
cate  a  great  and  established  richness  of  life  in  ancient 
China. 

Bronze  and  pottery  seem  to  be  the  only  productions 
of  the  minor  arts  in  Korea  that  are  worth  while,  and 
in  both  kinds  the  derivation  seems  distinctly  traceable 
to  China.  Only  in  pottery  did  the  Koreans  apparently 
do  anything  remarkably  distinctive ;  they  produced  a 
gray-green  ware  and  a  green-toned  white,  which  show 
a  high  appreciation  for  a  certain  delicate  beauty. 

Of  the  minor  arts  of  Japan  wood  and  ivory  carving, 
sword  smithing,  metal  working,  lacquering,  and  pottery 
making  were  developed  to  a  high  degree.  In  all  of 
these  the  Japanese  have  excelled,  though  in  no  other 
directions  have  they  gone  so  far  in  a  way  of  their  own 
as  in  the  making  of  swords  and  sword  furniture  and  in 
the  use  and  adaptation  of  lacquer.  The  prescriptions 
of  the  feudal  system,  the  gradual  formalizing  of  social 
customs,  the  deliberate  withdrawal  from  all  distracting 
alien  influences  fostered  such  a  development,  with  the 
result  that  the  artists  in  metal  and  lacquer  grew  into 
an  understanding  of  their  media  and  a  power  of  handling 
them  within  prescribed  limits  that  produced  works  of 
surpassing  quality.  F.  S.  K. 


356 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


Bronze  Bell.  Not  later  than  the  Tenth  Century  B.  C. 

Probably  used  in  connection  with  sacrificial  worship 
of  Heaven. 


CHINESE  BRONZE  357 


Chinese  Bronze  Tsun  Chinese  Bronze  Chio 

Circa  B.  C.  1000  Circa  B.  C.  1000 


Chinese  Bronze  I 


Circa  B.  C.  800 


358 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


Chinese  Bronze  Mirror  ( reverse  side) 

The  design  is  an  arrangement  in  concentric  spaces 
about  the  large  knob,  of  leaf-like  ornaments,  nipples,  the 
seven  divine  figures,  birds,  fishes,  and  beasts.  The  east¬ 
ing  is  remarkable ;  it  was  probably  done  at  the  skang-fang , 
the  imperial  foundry,  in  the  Han  Dynasty  (206  B»C.~ 
221  A.D.). 


CHINESE  BRONZE 


359 


Chinese  Bronze  Hsi ,  with  inscription  giving  date  A.  D,  lJfl 


T'ang  Mirror. 
The  large  central 
design  shows  two 
phoenixes  on 
clouds  symmetri¬ 
cally  placed,  and 
two  ornaments  as 
settings  for  char¬ 
acters  which  read 
one  thousand 
autumns”  and 
signify  longevity. 
The  border  shows 
conventional 
clouds,  lotus 
sprays,  and  four 
“jewels.” 


Bronze  Mirror  {reverse  side) 
Chinese,  T'ang  Dynasty 


360 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


Chinese  Jade  Pi,  an  emblem  of  rank  and  symbol  of  heaven 
Circa  B.  C.  200 


SWORD  FURNITURE 


361 


Mounting  of  Upper  Blade ,  late  Fujiwara  Design  ( Tokugawa  v>orkmansliip) 
Mounting  of  Lower  Blade,  Tokugawa  Design 


362  CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


Sword  Guard  ( Iron ) 
Myochin  Style 
Late  Eighteenth  Century 


Sword  Guard  ( Iron) 
Signed  Myochin  Muneyoslii 


Design  of  fireflies 
and  grasses  in  sha¬ 
hid  0  (a  composi¬ 
tion  of  gold  and 
copper),  copper, 
and  gold,  on  iron, 
by  Itsuriuken  Mi- 
boku,  a  celebrated 
artist  of  the  Nara 
School,  1695-1769. 

Design  of  stone 
lanterns  in  silver,  Japanese  Sword  Furniture,  Kozuka  Hilts 
shibuichi  (composi¬ 
tion  of  silver  and  copper),  and  gold,  on  shakudd,  by  At- 
suoki,  who  worked  in  Kyoto  about  1840-1860.  Otsuki 
school. 


LACQUER 


363 


Japanese  Gold  Lacquer  Ink-box  in  Shape  of  Fan 
Probably  by  a  Kyoto  Artist  Late  Eighteenth  Century 


364 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


Japanese  Lacquer  Inro  ( Medicine  Boxes'),  to  be  worn  suspended 
from  the  Girdle 

Inro.  Rice-boats  floating  on  the  water.  Applied  lead 
and  mother-of-pearl.  Signed  Koma-Kwansai.  Prob¬ 
ably  the  second  Kwansai,  early  nineteenth  century. 

Black  lacquer,  with  porcelain  toys  applied.  Signed 

Haritsu,  eighty-four  years  old,”  1664—1747. 

Crows  in  autumn  forest.  Signed  Kajikawa.  Prob¬ 
ably  the  second  Kajikawa,  about  the  middle  of  the 
seventeenth  century. 


CHINESE  POTTERY 


365 


Chinese  Pottery.  Han  Dynasty,  206  B.  C,-220  A.  D. 
Green  glaze;  on  the  cover  are  Hunting  Scenes 
among  Mountains 


Chinese  Pottery 

Pottery  may  be  identified  as  having  a  more  or  less 
porous  body,  opaque,  and  varying  from  soft  friability 
to  the  hardness  of  porcelain.  In  China,  as  in  many 
other  countries,  it  was  made  before  the  dawn  of  history. 
The  practice  of  glazing  it,  and  thus  rendering  it  imper¬ 
vious  to  water,  dates  in  China  as  far  back,  probably, 
as  the  second  century  B.  C.  So  far  as  we  know,  the 
first  glaze  used  by  Chinese  potters  was  thin  and  green, 
and  the  clay  invested  with  this  glaze  was  generally 
reddish  in  color.  During  the  following  twelve  centu¬ 
ries  Chinese  potters  gradually  refined  the  clay  and 


366  CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 

invented  new  glazes, —  white,  blue,  and  green,  in 
various  tones,  black,  and  celadon, —  until,  in  the  Sung 
Dynasty,  their  wares  reached  great  fineness  and  beauty 
of  form  and  glaze. 

From  a  time  long  before  the  use  of  glaze  Chinese 
pottery  has  been  decorated  with  designs  modelled  in 
low  relief  or  incised  in  the  clay.  In  the  Sung  Dynasty 
the  potters  began  to  use  over-glaze  decoration ;  but  so 
far  as  extant  examples  may  serve  to  guide  us,  the  beauty 
of  Chinese  pottery  remained,  through  this  and  the  two 
succeeding  dynasties,  in  the  form,  in  the  incised  or 
modelled  decoration,  and  in  the  glaze. 


Chinese  Tottery  Vessel  from  a  Grave 
Six  Dynasties 


CHINESE  POTTERY 


367 


Horse,  glazed  Pottery,  Tang  Dynasty 


Chinese  Pottery  Jar,  Tang  Dynasty 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


36S 

The  j  ar  on  the  previous  page  is  an  early  example  of 
pottery  made  for  domestic,  not  burial,  purposes.  The 
beautiful  incised  decoration  is  distinctively  T'ang.  The 
potting  and  the  glazing  show  the  high  degree  of  skill 
attained  by  Chinese  potters  a  thousand  years  ago. 


Camel,  glazed  Pottery,  T'ang  Dynasty 


Figures  of  men  and  animals,  and  models  of  houses, 
utensils,  and  the  like,  have  been  buried  with  the  Chinese 
dead  apparently  since  early  in  the  Han  Dynasty,  B.  C. 
206-A.  D.  220.  The  horse  and  the  camel  illustrated 
are  made  of  very  soft  white  clay  moulded  in  several 
parts,  which  were  originally  held  together  by  slip  and 
the  glaze.  They  are  fine  examples  of  the  best  work 
of  this  kind  from  the  T'ang  Dynasty,  018—907  A.  D 

F.  S.  K. 


CHINESE  PORCELAIN 


369 


Porcelain  Bowl  Citing  Dynasty 

Chinese  Porcelain 


Porcelain — the  hard,  translucent,  thoroughly  vitrified 
ware— was  first  made  in  China.  For  centuries  its  pat¬ 
terns  and  colors  influenced  the  pottery  of  both  Europe  and 
Western  Asia,  but  not  until  the  eighteenth  century  was  it 
successfully  imitated  in  Europe.  It  is  said  that  the  first 
porcelain  was  produced  in  the  effort  of  the  potters  to 
imitate  the  appearance  of  jade,  which  is  so  greatly  ad¬ 
mired  by  the  Chinese.  Many  literary  references  testify 
to  the  beauty  of  the  early  porcelain,  but  few  if  any  ex¬ 
isting  specimens  go  back  further  than  the  Ming  Dynasty, 
1368-1644.  The  history  of  Chinese  porcelain  is  the 
history  of  the  Imperial  factory  at  Ching-te-chen,  rebuilt 
in  1 369  by  the  founder  of  the  Ming  Dynasty.  Its  period 
of  greatest  splendor  was  within  the  reign  of  the  Emperor 
K'ang  Hsi,  1662-1722,  when  the  earlier  porcelain 
glazes  and  designs  were  reproduced  and  new  ones  in¬ 
vented.  The  brilliant  colors  and  bold  decoration  of  this 
period  were  refined  and  weakened  within  the  following 
century,  and  in  part  supplanted  by  a  naturalistic  floral 
decoration  with  carefully  finished  details  in  over-glaze 
pigment  and  enamels.  Since  the  eighteenth  century 
the  art  of  porcelain-making  has  lost  its  high  distinction. 

F.  S.  K. 


370 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


L -l  -  _  ■ 

Chinese  Porcelain  K'ang-hsi  Period ( 1662-1722) 


CHINESE  PORCELAIN 


371 


Chinese  Porcelain  Vase,  Height  SO  in. 
K'ang  Hsi  Period  ( 1662-1722 ) 


372 


CHINESE  AND  JAPANESE  ART 


Chinese  Tapestry  About  1400  A.  D. 

Fragment  of  a  larger  piece  of  the  early  Ming  Dynasty, 


MORSE  COLLECTION 


373 


The  Morse  Collection  of  Japanese  Pottery 

VARIOUS  periods  are  recognized  in  the  development 
of  pottery  in  Japan.  The  prehistoric  pottery  ex¬ 
humed  in  various  parts  of  the  empire  is  found  in  the 
shell  heaps  scattered  along  the  shores  from  Yezo  in  the 
north  to  Higo  in  the  extreme  south.  The  pottery  is  usually 
in  fragments,  entire  vessels  being  rare.  It  is  hand-made, 
decoration  either  cord  marked  or  incised  with  curious  vari¬ 
ations  in  form  in  different  localities.  As  the  Ainu  occupied 
the  entire  land  before  the  Japanese,  it  was  naturally  sup¬ 
posed  that  this  early  pottery  was  made  by  the  Ainu,  though 
there  is  no  historic  evidence  that  the  Ainu  ever  made 
pottery.  An  art  of  this  kind  once  acquired  is  never  lost  by 
a  savage  people.  (Examples  of  this  prehistoric  pottery 
may  be  found  on  the  two  lower  shelves  in  Case  II.) 

Next  comes  the  early  historic  pottery,  lathe-turned,  un¬ 
glazed  and  identical  in  form  and  purpose  with  Korean 
pottery  of  the  same  period.  This  pottery  consists  of  mortu¬ 
ary  vessels  and  is  found  in  dolmens  and  mounds.  It  has  an 
age  of  from  twelve  to  fifteen  hundred  years. 

The  first  definite  history  of  the  potter’s  art  in  Japan  be¬ 
gins  with  the  work  of  Toshiro  in  Seto  in  the  thirteenth 
century,  though  fragments  of  green-glazed  pottery  have 
been  dug  up  in  Omi  to  which  a  famous  expert  ascribed  an 
age  of  nine  hundred  years.  In  the  ancient  storehouse  at 
Nara  a  soft  green-glazed  pottery  is  preserved  which  is 
known  to  be  a  thousand  years  old.  This,  however,  is  prob¬ 
ably  Chinese. 

The  formal  ceremonies  associated  with  the  drinking  of 
powdered  tea  exerted  a  lasting  influence  on  the  potter’s  art 
and  gave  it  that  reserve  and  simplicity  which  is  so  char¬ 
acteristic  of  Japanese  pottery. 

The  collection  of  Japanese  Pottery  is  exhibited  in  the 
room  at  the  left  of  the  entrance  to  the  Museum.  Each 
case  is  numbered  to  facilitate  reference  to  the  plate  in  the 


374 


JAPANESE  POTTERY 


catalogue  where  the  objects  are  described.  The  table 
with  the  catalogue  may  be  rolled  from  case  to  case  for 
purposes  of  study.  In  this  collection  is  brought  together 
the  work  of  nearly  every  potter  in  Japan  up  to  within 
thirty  years,  and  the  objects  are  arranged  by  provinces. 

If  one  will  recall  the  pottery  of  the  Baltic  provinces  he  will 
remember  that  little  or  no  distinction  is  seen  in  the  work, 
each  potter  copying  the  forms  and  rude  decorations  of  the 
others.  The  Black  Forest  potters,  covering  a  wide  area, 
again  show  nothing  distinctive  in  their  work.  In  Japan,  on 
the  contrary,  a  local  pride  prompted  the  potter,  the  lac- 
querer,  and  other  artisans  to  produce  something  original 
either  in  form  or  decoration,  so  that  the  provinces  are  dis¬ 
tinctive,  and  the  names  of  the  provinces  are  often  used  in  a 
generic  way  in  designating  the  pottery,  such  as  Satsuma, 
Bizen,  Izumo,  Kaga,  Awaji,  etc.  After  the  provinces  were 
brought  together  under  a  strong  central  government  in 
1868,  provincial  feeling  still  survived,  and  each  province 
prided  itself  on  special  products,  such  as  pottery,  lacquer, 
textile  fabrics,  and  the  like.  The  strongly  marked  differ¬ 
ences  between  the  dominant  pottery  of  certain  provinces 
may  be  seen  by  comparing  the  following  cases:  Hizen,  3, 
4;  Bizen,  5;  Higo,  8;  Nagato,  10;  and  many  others. 

The  Japanese  potter  derived  certain  methods  of  tech¬ 
nique  from  the  Koreans,  and  for  this  reason  a  small  collec¬ 
tion  of  Korean  pottery  has  been  brought  together  in  Case  I. 
The  objects  range  in  age  from  a  thousand  years  and  over  to 
the  present  time.  In  Case  2  is  a  collection  of  early  historic 
and  prehistoric  pottery  of  Japan. 

The  casual  visitor  may  enjoy  the  collection  by  simply 
noticing  the  remarkable  qualities  of  glaze,  the  curious 
motives  of  design,  the  variety  of  form,  and,  above  all,  the 
reserve  and  sobriety  shown  in  the  decorative  treatment. 

For  sources  of  information,  the  work  of  amateur  potters,  motives 
of  decoration,  Korean  influences,  uses  of  objects  and  other  details, 
reference  must  be  made  to  the  illustrated  catalogue  of  the  collection 
published  in  1901. 


MORSE  COLLECTION 


375 


Pottery  of  the  Province  oj  Sanuki 
Morse  Collection ,  Case  19 


3/6 


JAPANESE  POTTERY 


Korin  Pottery ,  Province  of  Hi  go 

A  fine  example  of  Koda  pottery.  The  glaze  is  gray;  the 
design  incised  and  filled  with  white  clay.  Height,  5  inches. 


Morse  Collection.  Case  8. 


MORSE  COLLECTION 


377 


Bottle  Takatori  Pottery,  Province  of  Chikuzen 


A  good  example  of  the  freedom  of  the  Japanese  potter. 
A  leaf  design  slashed  in  long  strokes.  The  sides  are  in¬ 
dented  for  convenience  of  handling.  Height,  12  inches. 


Morse  Collection.  Case  18. 


COLLECTION  OF  PRINTS 


(Fenway  Entrance) 


(From  the  Huntington 
Avenue  Building) 

Ground  Floor 


Pr  indicates  the  office  of  the  Department 


COLLECTION  OF  PRINTS 


38 1 


1J  ay  sage,  Hirer 

Etching  by  Charles  Jacque,  1813-1894 


The  resources  of  the  collection  of  prints  are  difficult  to 
illustrate,  since  half-tone  reproductions,  while  presenting 
an  apparent  facsimile,  fail  to  render  the  subtler  qualities 
which  constitute  the  charm  and  the  value  of  prints.  The 
illustrations  are  given  merely  to  suggest  a  few  of  the  numer¬ 
ous  spheres  of  interest  available. 

The  collection  was  begun  in  1872  by  the  gift  of  one  print. 
To-day  it  holds  a  leading  place  among  print  collections 
in  this  country.  The  volume  of  material  necessary  to  the 
usefulness  of  a  collection  of  this  kind  forms  an  obstacle  to 
its  winning  wide  popular  favor.  Only  a  small  fraction  of 
the  eighty  thousand  prints  (approximately)  which  form 
the  collection  can  be  shown  at  any  one  time  in  the 
exhibition  rooms.  The  visitor  to  the  galleries  is  not 
aware  of  the  great  mass  of  material  in  the  Print  Rooms, 
ready  to  provide  pleasure  and  information. 

A  few  words  concerning  the  range  of  the  collection 
will  not  be  amiss.  If  one  desires  to  hark  back  to  early  days 
of  engraving,  there  is  virile  Mantegna  sketching  on  copper 
his  strong  figures,  instinct  with  dignified  grandeur.  Earlier 
yet  are  the  great  series  of  Sibyls  and  Prophets  and  the 
famous  Tarocchi,  while  the  goldsmith’s  niello  impressions 
offer  some  early  experiments  in  printing  from  metal  plates . 
The  Museum  is  fortunate  in  possessing  a  number  of  these 
early  prints.  Turning  to  northern  art,  one  visitor  may 


3  82 


COLLECTION  OF  PRINTS 


prefer  the  spring-like  purity  of  Schongauer’s  engravings, 
or  he  may  respond  to  the  power  of  Diirer's  expressive, 
forcible  conceptions.  The  vigorous  message  of  early 
German  woodcuts  may  afford  pleasure  to  some,  while 
others  will  prefer  the  bold,  broad  treatment  of  Italian 
chiaroscuro,  suggesting  by  graded  tones  the  varied  effects 
of  the  painter’s  work.  Raphael’s  genius  may  be  ap¬ 
proached  through  the  medium  of  his  faithful  engraver, 
Marcantonio.  The  realism  of  seventeenth  century  art 
in  the  Netherlands  offers  an  immense  field  in  etching 
Besides  the  Flemish  engravings  of  Bolswert,  Pontius, 
and  others  of  the  Rubens  school,  there  are  the  por¬ 
traits  in  Van  Dyck’s  famous  '  Iconography,”  there  are 
Cornel  Visscher’s  forceful  likenesses  and  Delff's  plates, 
the  Dutch  peasant  scenes  of  Ostade,  the  cattle  pieces 
of  Paul  Potter,  de  Laer,  Berghem,  Dujardin,  the  landscapes 
of  lluysdael  and  Waterloo,  and,  above  all,  the  masterly 
plates  of  Rembrandt,  whose  wonderful,  versatile  genius  can¬ 
not  fail  to  awaken  a  deepening  interest.  A  large  collection 
of  Rembrandt’s  drawings  in  excellent  reproduction  helps 
to  bring  out  the  unique  powers  of  the  great  Dutch  master. 
In  France  portrait  engraving  reaches  its  highest  perfection 
with  Morin,  Nanteuil,  Edelinck,  and  the  Drevet.  From 
these  beautiful  plates  one  may  turn  with  interest  to  the  Eng¬ 
lish  school  of  mezzotint  engravers,  to  the  portrait  work  of 
Green,  McArdell,  Smith,  Ward,  Watson,  Reynolds,  to  the 
plates  of  Earlom  or  the  stipples  of  Bartolozzi.  Constable’s 
realistic  landscapes  are  interpreted  by  the  mezzotints  of 
Lucas.  Again  a  different  mood  will  be  met  by  Canaletto’s 
breezy  Italian  landscape  etchings. 

An  unfailing  source  of  delight  is  always  open  to  the 
amateur  of  landscape  art  in  the  wonderful  plates  of 
Turner’s  Liber  Studiorum,  England  and  Wales,  and 
other  series.  The  beauty  of  the  French  metropolis 
inspires  Meryon’s  series  of  Paris  etchings,  and  Whistler  in 
his  Thames  set  has  recorded  the  poetry  of  a  traffic-laden 
river.  Then  there  are  Haden  and  Lalanne,  Klinger  and 


COLLECTION  OF  PRINTS  383 

Buhot,  Corot,  and  Millet;  there  are  Gaillard’s  exquisite 
portraits  as  well  as  the  lithographs  of  Delacroix,  Raffet, 
Daumier,  Gavarni,  Isabey,  Dupre,  and  Bonington. 

The  collection  of  American  prints,  though  rather 
deficient  in  examples  of  early  work,  offers  abundant 
material  for  the  study  of  the  nineteenth  century. 

The  Print  Department  is  also  the  repository  for  the 
collection  of  drawings  (pp.  368—372). 


Madonna  and  Child 

Engraving  by  Andrea  Mantegna,  1431-1506 


3§4 


COLLECTION  OF  PRINTS 


The  Assumption  of  the  Virgin 
Florentine  Engraving  after  Botticelli 


Early  Italian  engravings  reflect  the  glory  and  perfec¬ 
tion  of  Renaissance  Art.  Although  technically  inferior 
to  contemporaneous  German  work,  they  are  the  fruits  of 
a  better  tradition  in  art,  and  treat  a  wider  range  of  sub¬ 
jects.  The  engravers  of  Northern  Italy  were  dominated 
by  the  severe  grandeur  of  Mantegna,  while  the  Floren¬ 
tines  show  the  influence  of  Finiguerra  and  Botticelli. 


COLLECTION  OF  PRINTS 


385 


Saint  Jerome  in  His  Celt 
Engraving  by  Albrecht  Diirer,  1471-1528 


Diirer  is  the  greatest  painter-engraver  of  the  sixteenth 
century,  Hisart,  largely  allusive,  filled  with  thought,  de¬ 
mands  thought  on  the  part  of  the  beholder.  Although  able 
to  express  beauty,  he  generally  sets  it  aside  for  expressive¬ 
ness,  action,  power.  Standing  on  the  threshold  of  modern 
times,  Diirer  links  the  dark  ages  with  our  own.  Obscure 
though  his  art  may  be  at  times,  it  always  proves  stimulating. 


386 


COLLECTION  OF  PRINTS 


Frans  Snyders  ( First  State) 

Etching  by  Van  Dyck,  1599-1641 

For  purity  of  style  Van  Dyck’s  portrait  etchings  are 
unrivalled.  They  were  done  in  so  fresh  and  personal  a 
manner  as  to  be  unappreciated  by  his  contemporaries, 
so  that  in  many  cases  formal  backgrounds  and  accesso¬ 
ries  were  added  with  the  burin  by  professional  engravers. 
The  Museum  collection  contains  the  majority  ot  his 
portraits,  in  early  states,  before  this  additional  work. 


COLLECTION  OF  PRINTS 


387 


Blind,  Tobit 

Etching  by  Rembrandt ,  1606-1669 


Amidst  the  vast  number  of  famous  Dutch  artists  stands 
the  mighty  personality  of  Rembrandt.  Be  his  medium  the 
brush,  the  pen,  or  the  etching  needle,  he  infuses  into 
his  art  the  vital,  compelling  force  of  the  thought  which 
animates  him.  He  masters  the  secrets  of  nature  by 
incessant  study  and  keen  observation.  One  of  many 
examples  of  his  powers  is  this  groping  figure  of  Tol  it. 


388 


COLLECTION  OF  PRINTS 


Portrait  of  Pompone  de  Bellievre 
Engraving  by  Robert  Nanteuil,  1623  (?)—1678 

French  engraving  is  seen  to  best  advantage  in  the  work 
of  seventeenth-century  engravers.  Among  them  none  quite 
equals  the  excellence  of  Robert  Nanteuil.  In  his  plates  the 
last  word  of  technical  perfection  is  spoken,  yet  the  engrav¬ 
er’s  refined  taste  keeps  technique  subservient  to  the  message 
of  his  art. 


COLLECTION  OF  PRINTS 


389 


Mary ,  Duchess  of  Ancaster 
Mezzotint  Engraving  hy  James  Watson ,  1740-1790  (?) 
After  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds 


Mezzotint  was  introduced  into  England  shortly  after 
its  invention.  Little  used  at  first,  it  came  into  general 
favor  in  the  eighteenth  century.  Its  delicate  blend¬ 
ings  and  rich,  soft  shadows  made  it  the  ideal  medium 
for  rendering  the  works  of  the  great  English  portrait 
painters. 


39© 


COLLECTION  OF  PRINTS 


Raglan  Castle 

Mezzotint  Engraving  by  J.  M.  W.  Turner,  1775-1851 

Turner  will  always  stand  in  the  forefront  among  land¬ 
scape  engravers.  His  broad  outlook  upon  nature  is  happily 
wedded  to  an  intimate  knowledge  of  the  world,  born  of 
incessant  keen  observation.  In  hundreds  of  masterly  com¬ 
positions  he  speaks  to  us  of  nature  with  irresistible  elo¬ 
quence.  The  “Liber  Studiorum”  reveals  his  command  of 
the  graphic  arts.  Several  plates  of  this  splendid  series, 
the  one  shown  above  for  example,  are  his  own  through¬ 
out.  When  he  left  the  mezzotinting  to  others,  he  usually 
etched  the  outline  himself,  provided  a  wash-drawing  to 
guide  the  engraver,  and  closely  watched  the  progress  of 
the  plate.  He  carries  us  to  the  quiet  dreamy  seashore  in 
the  gloaming,  or  tothe  storm-swept  cliffs  of  the  Yorkshire 
coast.  We  watch  with  him  the  lowering  skies  over  Hind 
Head  Hill  and  the  thundercloud  on  Ben  Arthur.  We  see 
the  vine-clad  plains  of  southern  France  and  the  glaciers 
and  peaks  of  Switzerland,  only  to  return  to  the  woodland 
scenes  of  the  Aesaeus  or  the  Jason,  and  to  the  silent 
peace  of  lovely  Raglan  Castle. 


COLLECTION  OF  PRINTS 


391 


Cotton  Mather  Peter  Pelham,  16  8  4  (?)-1751 

The  soil  of  New  England  was  not  hospitable  to  the  fine 
arts  in  early  days  ;  only  portraiture  was  viewed  without 
disapproval.  At  a  time  when  English  mezzotint  developed 
its  rich  resources  in  portrait  work,  an  English  engraver  of 
merit,  Peter  Pelham,  came  to  try  his  fortunes  in  this  coun¬ 
try.  We  owe  to  him  a  number  of  portraits,  chiefly  clergy¬ 
men,  among  them  the  above  portrait  of  Mather.  The 
revolutionary  period  boasts  of  Charles  Willson  Peale,  by 
far  the  most  gifted  of  early  American  engravers.  After 
the  Revolution  came  David  Edwin,  A.  B.  Durand,  John 
Sartain,  John  Cheney,  and  later  Charles  Burt  and 
William  E.  Marshall.  During  the  latter  part  of  the 
nineteenth  century  wood  engraving,  as  exemplified  by 
W.  J.  Linton,  Frederick  Juengling,  J.  H.  E.  Whitney, 
Gustav  Kruell,  Timothy  Cole  and  Henry  Wolf,  achieved 
a  character  more  original  and  pronounced  and  more 
nearly  national  than  any  other  branch  of  art  practiced 
in.  America,  and  etching  flourished  for  a  brief  period. 
All  these  changing  phases  may  be  followed  in  the 
Museum  collection. 


392 


COLLECTION  OF  PRINTS 


Creation  of  Eve 

Colored  Drawing  by  William  Blake,  1757—1827 


William  Blake  was  a  mystic,  living  among  visions 
which  he  attempted  to  interpret  in  his  art.  His  pow¬ 
erful  conceptions  with  their  exquisite  coloring  and  their 
peculiarities  of  form  carry  one  away  from  the  realities 


COLLECTION  OF  PRINTS 


393 


Adam  and  Eve  and  the  Angel  Raphael 
Colored  Drawing  by  William  Blake,  1767-1827 

of  life.  Eve  takes  shape  at  the  Creator’s  bidding,  amid 
quiet,  low  shadings  of  gray  and  green.  Again  a  nacreous 
glow  of  colors  pervades  the  seated  figure  of  Raphael. 
The  Museum  owns  a  number  of  these  masterly  drawings. 


394 


COLLECTION  OF  PRINTS 


1 


1  he  Gleaners 


Drawing  by  J.  F.  Millet,  lSl/f—lS75 


Tlie  life  and  toil  of  the  peasant  forms  the  dominant 
theme  of  Millet’s  art.  His  genius  for  terse  expressive¬ 
ness  is  revealed  in  a  score  of  sketches  in  the  collection. 


COLLECTION  OF  PRINTS 


395 


Peasant  with  a  Wheelbarrow 
Drawing  by  J.  F.  Millet,  1814-1875 


Close  observation  of  the  interplay  of  muscular  effort 
and  the  force  of  gravitation  is  evident  in  this  drawing, 
which  is  a  preparation  for  the  etching  of  the  same  subject, 


396  COLLECTION  OF  PRINTS 

Besides  the  Blake  drawings  and  the  sketches  of  Millet, 
the  Museum  owns  a  number  of  drawings  in  charcoal  by 
William  Morris  Hunt,  and  a  miscellaneous  assemblage  of 
sketches  by  various  artists,  among  them  some  examples 
of  the  art  of  Tiepolo.  This  small  collection  of  original 
drawings  is  supplemented  by  numbers  of  excellent 
reproductions  of  the  masterly  drawings  of  Rembrandt, 
Diner,  and  other  famous  artists,  found  in  the  great  col¬ 
lections  of  Europe.  Reproductions  of  MenzeTs  works 
and  colored  reproductions  of  sketches  by  Degas  and 
Renouard  are  frequently  consulted  by  visitors. 


Woman  Feeding  Her  Child 
Drawing  by  J.  F.  Millet,  181 1875 


COLLECTION  OE  PRINTS 


397 


ROOKS  OF  REFERENCE 

All  of  these  are  in  the  Print  Department  Library. 

Hind,  A.  M.  A  Short  History  of  Engraving  and  Etching. 
Kristeller,  Paul.  Kupferstich  und  Holzschnitt  in  vier  Jahrhun- 
derten. 

Lippmann,  Dr.  Fr.  Engraving  and  Etching. 

Chapin,  Willis  0.  Masters  and  Masterpieces  of  Engraving. 
Whitman,  Alfred  and  Salaman,  Malcolm  C.  Print  Collectors’ 
Handbook. 

Richter,  Emil  H.  Prints,  their  Technique  and  History. 
Weitenkampf,  Frank.  How  to  Appreciate  Prints. 

Keppel,  Frederick.  The  Golden  Age  of  Engraving. 

Carrington,  FitzRoy.  Engravers  and  Etchers. 

Carrington,  FitzRoy.  (Editor.)  Prints  and  their  Makers. 
Carrington,  FitzRoy.  (Editor.)  The  Print-Collector’s  Quarterly, 
Vols.  I- VII:  1911-1917. 

Hamerton,  Philip  Gilbert.  Etching  and  Etchers. 

W edmore,  Frederick.  Etchings. 

W edmore,  Frederick.  Fine  Prints. 

Binyon,  Laurence.  Dutch  Etchers  of  the  Seventeenth  Century. 
Bradley,  W.  A.  French  Etchers  of  the  Second  Empire. 

Pollard,  Alfred  W.  Italian  Book  Illustrations. 

Worringer,  Dr.  Wilhelm.  Die  Altdeutsche  Buchillustration. 
Thomas,  T.  H.  French  Portrait  Engraving  of  the  Seventeenth 
and  Eighteenth  Centuries. 

Dilke,  Lady.  French  Engravers  and  Draughtsmen  of  the  Eight¬ 
eenth  Century. 

Model,  Julius  and  Springer,  Jaro.  Der  Franzosische  Farbenstich 
des  XVIII  Jahrhunderts. 

Nevill,  Ralph.  French  Prints  of  the  Eighteenth  Century. 
Lalanne,  Maxime.  A  Treatise  on  Etching. 

Singer,  H.  W.  and  Strang,  W.  Etching,  Engraving  and  other 
Methods  of  Printing  Pictures. 

Chatto,W.  A.  and  J ackson,  John.  A  Treatise  on  Wood  Engraving. 
Linton,  W.  J.  The  Masters  of  Wood  Engraving. 

Whitman,  Alfred.  Masters  of  Mezzotint. 

Prideaux,  S.  T.  Aquatint  Engraving. 

Curtis,  Atherton.  Some  Masters  of  Lithography. 

Pennell,  J.  and  E.  R.  Lithography  and  Lithographers. 


LIBRARY 

AND 

COLLECTION  OF  PHOTOGRAPHS 


LIBRARY 


401 


LIBRARY 

NOT  until  1879,  three  years  after  the  opening  of  the 
Museum  in  Copley  Square,  was  a  room  equipped  to 
serve  the  specific  purposes  of  the  Library,  but  the 
establishment  of  a  special  Library  was  mentioned  in  the 
statement  of  the  objects  of  the  Museum  issued  by  the 
Trustees  upon  their  incorporation  in  1870,  and  the  con¬ 
tribution  of  one  thousand  dollars  offered  in  1875  for  the 
purchase  of  books  was  the  earliest  gift  of  money  to  the 
Museum  for  any  other  than  its  general  purposes. 

The  Library  now  possesses  approximately  fifty  thou¬ 
sand  books  and  pamphlets,  including  twenty  thousand 
volumes  in  Chinese  and  Japanese.  It  aims  to  possess 
the  most  authoritative  information  on  fine  and  on  applied 
art,  and  to  serve  any  individual  working  in  those  fields. 
The  collection  includes  museum  catalogues,  catalogues 
of  private  collections,  biographies  of  artists,  monographs 
on  different  branches  of  art,  and  large  and  expensive 
volumes  of  reproductions.  The  Library  also  subscribes 
to  the  leading  periodicals  of  art. 

The  collection  of  photographs  is  an  important  adjunct 
of  the  Library.  It  was  started  with  ten  volumes  of 
Roman  photographs  ”  given  by  George  B.  Emerson; 
these  are  recorded  in  the  first  annual  report  (l873)  of 
the  Committee  on  the  Museum.  The  collection  now 
contains  about  fifty  thousand  photographs,  representing 
the  art  of  all  times  and  countries. 


402 


LIBRARY 


The  public  is  not  allowed  to  take  books  from  the 
Library,  but  teachers  are  permitted  to  borrow  photo¬ 
graphs  for  purposes  of  instruction  on  condition  that 
they  be  returned  within  forty-eight  hours. 

The  Library  is  open  to  any  visitor  to  the  Museum. 
The  Librarian,  or  an  assistant,  is  constantly  present  to 
give  information  to  readers. 


COLLECTIONS  OF  CASTS 


EAST  COURT 


405 


COLLECTIONS  OF  CASTS 

Greek,  and  Roman  Sculpture 

ORIGINAL  works  of  Greek  sculpture  in  America 
are  so  few  and  often  so  fragmentary  that  the  stu¬ 
dent  of  classical  art  must  supplement  his  study 
of  actual  examples  by  the  use  of  photographs  and  casts. 
As  mechanical  reproductions  in  the  original  size,  casts 
give  the  composition,  the  proportions,  and  what  has 
been  called  the  dramatic  character  of  Greek  sculpture, 
and  enable  the  student  to  learn  something  even  of  the 
technical  procedure  of  the  artist.  In  looking  at  them, 
however,  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  final  perfec¬ 
tion  of  style  in  the  work  of  great  masters  cannot  be  re¬ 
produced  in  plaster.  The  effect  of  this  material  in  color, 
quality  of  surface,  and  response  to  light  and  shadow  is 
very  different  from  that  of  the  original  marble  or  bronze. 
The  impression  that  the  casts  produce  should  be  con¬ 
stantly  corrected  by  reference  to  the  collection  of  original 
ancient  sculptures  in  the  classical  galleries. 

The  large  court  to  the  right  of  the  central  stairway 
is  devoted  chiefly  to  Greek  sculpture  of  the  archaic 
period  and  of  the  fifth  and  fourth  centuries  B.  C. 
Near  the  entrance  of  this  room  are  reproductions  of 
works  of  early  date  illustrating  the  steady  progress  by 
which  the  art  outgrew  its  primitive  helplessness  and, 
through  direct  study  of  nature  and  increasing  mastery 
of  materials  and  tools,  prepared  the  way  for  the  con¬ 
summate  achievement  of  the  fifth  century. 

At  this  end  of  the  room  are  also  a  few  casts  of  sculp¬ 
tures  of  the  so-called  period  of  transition  between  archaic 
art  and  the  free  creation  of  the  art  of  Pheidias.  To  this 
period  belong  some  of  the  works  of  wdiich  casts  are  ex¬ 
hibited  on  the  walls  of  the  court:  the  west  pedimental 
group  from  the  Temple  of  Aphaia  in  Aegina  and  some 


406 


COLLECTIONS  OF  CASTS 


of  the  pedimental  figures  and  metopes  from  the  Temple 
of  Zeus  at  Olympia.  The  sculpture  of  this  time  has  a 
freshness  and  sincerity  which  more  than  atone  for  the 
limitations  in  its  scope  of  representation. 

The  athletic  ideal  of  the  fifth  century  B.  C.  is  em¬ 
bodied  in  the  work  of  Myron,  the  sculptor  of  the 
famous  Diseobolos,  and  of  Polyeleitus  of  Argos,  who 
attempted  to  establish  a  normal  standard  of  proportions 
for  the  human  figure.  Casts  representing  the  work  of 
these  artists  are  shown  in  the  west  end  of  the  court. 

The  mingled  elements  of  Athenian  civilization  found 
their  plastic  expression  in  the  style  of  Pheidias.  At 
the  west  end  of  the  court  are  casts  from  a  few  statues 
of  his  school,  while  on  the  long  pedestals  at  the  sides 
of  the  rooms  are  reproductions  of  the  pedimental  groups 
of  the  Parthenon.  Parts  of  the  Parthenon  frieze  and 
a  few  of  the  metopes  are  arranged  on  the  walls.  The 
decoration  of  this  temple  was  probably  directed  by 
Pheidias.  It  reflects  the  noblest  civic  and  religious 
ideals  of  Greece. 

The  graceful  motives  and  the  refined  technique  of 
Praxiteles  are  shown  in  casts  from  works  attributed  to 
him  and  to  his  school.  These  are  grouped  at  the 
southeast  corner  of  the  court.  In  the  northeast  cor¬ 
ner  are  reproductions  of  statues  attributed  to  Scopas, 
one  of  the  most  vigorous  and  original  of  the  sculptors 
of  the  fourth  century  B.  C.  The  last  great  sculptor  of 
the  athletic  figure  in  Greece  was  Lysippus  of  Sicyon, 
whose  celebrated  Apoxyomenos  is  known  to  us  through 
a  Roman  copy,  of  which  a  cast  is  exhibited  here. 

Because  of  their  large  size,  casts  of  two  important 
examples  of  late  Greek  sculpture  are  exhibited  in  the 
court:  the  Victory  of  Samothrace  and  a  part  of  the 
frieze  of  the  great  altar  at  Pergamon.  In  front  of 
the  latter  is  placed  a  selection  of  the  dramatic  sculp¬ 
tures  of  the  earlier  Pergamene  School. 

A  door  on  the  south  wall  of  the  court  leads  into  a 


EAST  COURT 


407 


corridor  on  one  of  whose  walls  are  casts  from  the  frieze 
of  the  Temple  of  Apollo,  near  Phigaleia  in  Arcadia. 

In  the  circular  hall  under  the  rotunda  are  casts  from 
works  of  the  Hellenistic  and  Roman  periods,  including 
the  Aphrodite  of  Melos  and  the  Laocodn  group.  A 
model  of  the  Athenian  Acropolis  and  of  a  comer  of  the 
Parthenon  are  also  shown  here. 


Note.— For  detailed  information  regarding  the  classical 
casts,  the  visitor  is  referred  to  the  Catalogue  of  Casts  of  Greek 
and  Roman  Sculpture  (Edward  Robinson)  describing  the  col¬ 
lection  as  installed  in  the  old  building.  Students  of  classical 
archaeology  may  obtain  permission  to  examine  in  the  basement 
storerooms  many  casts  which  are  not  shown  in  the  galleries. 


408 


COLLECTIONS  OF  CASTS 


Sculpture  of  the  Italian  Renaissance 

In  the  collection  of  casts  from  sculpture  of  the 
Italian  Renaissance,  the  chief  sculptors  of  that  period 
are  all  represented,  some  of  them  by  their  most  famous 
works.  The  two  figures  of  horsemen — the  smaller, 
of  Gattamelata,  by  Donatello  (l452),  and  the  larger, 
of  Colleoni,  by  Verrocchio  (1496) —  are  regarded  as 
the  foremost  equestrian  statues  of  the  world.  Niccolo 
Pisano's  octagonal  pulpit  in  Siena  Cathedral  was  com¬ 
missioned  in  the  year  of  Dante’s  birth  (1265),  and  for 
the  first  time  embodied  the  imagery  of  the  Catholic 
faith  in  forms  of  classical  purity  and  beauty.  Jacopo 
della  Quercia,  the  most  noted  of  the  sculptors  of  Siena, 
is  represented  by  the  recumbent  effigy  of  Ilaria  del 
Carretto  (d.  1405).  The  emphatic  composition  of  this 
figure  and  the  poetical  impressiveness  of  the  marble 
effigy  by  a  living  artist  across  the  room  exemplify  two 
widely  different  conceptions  of  the  art  of  sculpture. 
The  great  portal  on  the  south  wall  reproduces  the 
eastern  doors  of  the  Baptistery  at  Florence  (1452),  by 
Lorenzo  Ghiberti  —  fit  to  be  the  gates  of  Paradise,  as 
Michel  Angelo  said.  Ten  typical  scenes  from  Old 
Testament  history  fill  the  ten  panels,  and  the  heads 
and  statuettes  that  surround  them  and  the  garland 
that  frames  them  are  no  less  interesting  as  sculpture. 
Of  Donatello,  the  sculptor  of  greatest  power  in  Italy 
before  Michel  Angelo,  the  collection  contains,  beside 
the  Gattamelata  and  reliefs,  two  well-known  statues  — 
the  St.  George  (l416),  a  young  man-at-arms  impatient 
for  the  battle,  and  the  David  (l430),  the  earliest  nude 
statue  of  modern  times.  On  the  north  wall  are  placed 
reproductions  of  the  famous  reliefs  of  Singing  and 
Dancing  Youths,  carved  by  Luca  della  Robbia  in  1437 


WEST  COURT 


409 


for  the  organ  loft  of  Florence  Cathedral,  and  now  pre¬ 
served  in  the  Cathedral  Museum.  Reproductions  of 
two  lunettes  in  glazed  terra-cotta  by  his  nephew, 
Andrea  della  Robbia,  hang  above,  one  imaging  the 
meeting  of  St.  Francis  and  St.  Dominic,  the  other  the 
Annunciation  of  the  Virgin.  The  collection  includes 
a  number  of  reliefs,  busts,  and  statues  from  the  mem¬ 
orable  group  of  sculptors  who  were  the  contemporaries 
of  the  Robbia  in  Florence:  Mino  da  Fiesole,  Desiderio 
da  Settignano,  Verrocchio,  Rossellino,  and  others. 
The  reproductions  of  Michel  Angelo’s  works  include 
three  of  his  greatest  achievements  :  the  statue  of  Moses 
from  the  tomb  of  Julius  II  (ordered  1505),  and  the 
figures  of  the  Dukes  Lorenzo  and  Giuliano  de’  Medici, 
and  of  Night,  Day,  Evening,  and  Dawn  from  the  tombs 
of  the  Dukes  (1521-1534)  in  the  Medici  Chapel. 


Note. —  For  further  information  in  regard  to  the  sculptures 
which  this  collection  of  casts  reproduces,  the  visitor  is  referred 
to  the  Manual  of  Italian  Renaissance  Sculpture  (Benjamin  Ives 
Gilman),  published  by  the  Museum. 


NOTES  ON  CHINESE  CHRONOLOGY 


Hncluding  the  Minor  Han  (221-26.5),  Wei  (220-265),  and 
Wu  (229-265). 

2Six  Dynasties  is  a  loose  term.  As  dated  here  it  covers  the 
Western  Ch'in  (265-317),  Eastern  Ch'in  (317-420),  and  the 
division  into  North  (Tartars)  and  South  (Chinese),  420-589: 
under  the  Sung,  420-479;  Ch'i,  479-502;  Liang,  502-557; 
Ch’en,  557-589;  Northern  Wei,  386-535;  Western  Wei, 
535-557;  Eastern  Wei,  534-550;  Northern  Ch'i,  550-589; 
and  Northern  Chou,  557-589. 

3  Including  the  Posterior  Liang,  Posterior  T'ang,  Posterior 
Ch'in.  Posterior  Han,  and  Posterior  Chou,  with  which,  and 
with  the  Sung  and  Southern  Sung,  the  Liao  (907-1125), 
Western  Liao  (1125-1168),  and  Ch'in  (1115-1260)  dynasties 
were  contemporary. 


SYNOPSIS  OF  THE  HISTORY  OF  ART 


(AS  REPRESENTED 

WESTERN 

EUROPE  THE  LEVANT 


IN  THE  MUSEUM 


COLLECTIONS) 

EASTERN 


rehistoric 

3000-1000 

(Minoan) 

Archaic 

1000—500 


Classical 

500-300 


Hellenistic 

300-100 


Graeco- 
Roman 
100  B.C.- 
200  A.D. 


Predynastic 
r  Old  Empire 
Middle  Einp. 
New  Empire 


(Assyria) 

Hebrew 

Prophets 

Pentateuch 

Psalter 

Greek, 
Roman,  and 
Byzantine 
(Coptic) 
periods, 
332  B.C.— 
638  A.D. 


Early 

liristian 


tila,  the  Hun,  d.  453 


Byzantine  o 


omanesque 

800-1200 


Gothic 

1200-1400 


arly  Renaissance 
1400-1500 

igh  Renaissance 
1500-1600 
ate  Renaissance 
16(^0—1800 


Arabian 

Saracenic, 


Islamic 


B.  C. 

3000 

2000 

1500 


500 


1000 

1100 

1200 

1300 

1400 

1500 

1600 

1700 

1800 

1900 

A.  D. 


(Dynasties) 


Shang,  1766-1122 


Chou,  1122-255 

Lao  Tzu,  b.  604 
Confucius 
551-479 


Cli'in,  255-206 


Han,  206-A.  D.  25 


Later  Han,  25-221 
Buddhism 
67 


Three  Kingdoms  i 
221-265 


Six  Dynasties2 
265-589 


Sui,  589-618 

T'ang,  618-907 

Five  Dynasties3 
907-960 

Sung,  960-1127 

Southern  Sung 
1127-1280 
Chingliis  Khan 
1206 

Yuan  (Mongols) 
1280-1368 


Ming  (Chinese) 
1368-1644 


Ch'ing  (Manchu) 
1644-1912 


Republic  from 
1912 


Rig-veda 

Upanishads 


Beginning  of 
Imperial  rule 
660 


Confucianism 

285 


Buddha  (563-483) 

Invasion  by 
Alexander,  326 
Maun  a  dynasty 
322-184 

Asoka,  272-232 
S  liny  a  dynasty,  184-7 
Buddhism  in 
Central  Asia 
Kanva  dynasty.  72-27 
Andhra  dynasty,  27 

Kushan  invasion 
Kanishka,  78-120 
Huvishka,  120-140 
Fall  of  Kushan 
Empire 
Gupta  dynasty 
320-480 
Colonization  of 
Indonesia 

Ajanta,  4tli-7tli  Buddhism,  538 
century 

1st  Clialukya  Suiko,  552-644 
dynasty 

Hakuho,  645-709 
Tempyo, 710-793 
Jogan,  794-899 

Fujiwara,  900- 
1189,  periods 
Decline  of 
Imperial  rule,  1150 
Kamakura  Sbo- 
gunate,  1190-1337 


Rise  of  the 
Rajputs 
Pala  dynasty 
740-1130 


Muhammadan 
conquest  of 
North’ll  India 


Mughal  Em¬ 
pire,  1526-1761 
Akbar 
Jahangir 
Shah  Jahan 
Aurangzib 

British  Em¬ 
pire,  1858 


Ashikaga 

Shogunate 

1338-1582 

Momoyama 
period,  1583-1602 

Tokugawa 
Shogunate 
1603-1867 
Full  restoration 
of  Imperial  rule 
1868 

Meiji,  1868-1911 
Taisho,  from  1912 


THE  MUSEUM  AND  ITS  HISTORY 


MUSEUM  OF  FINE  ARTS,  BOSTON 

Incorporated  February  4,  1870 

THE  Museum  is  a  permanent  public  exhibition  of  original 
works  of  the  art  of  Egypt,  Greece,  Rome,  the  Orient, 
and  modern  Europe  and  America,  supplemented  by 
reproductions  of  others.  It  is  supported  wholly  by  private 
gifts  and  managed  by  a  Board  of  Trustees  including  represen¬ 
tatives  of  Harvard  University,  the  Boston  Athenaeum,  the 
Massachusetts  Institute  of  Technology,  the  City  and  the  State, 
acting  through  a  numerous  staff  and  with  the  cooperation  of 
visiting  and  advisory  committees  of  citizens.  Visitors,  about 
250,000  annually. 

A  public  museum  of  art  offers  the  whole  people  an  unfailing 
source  of  delight  and  improvement.  The  preservation,  enrich¬ 
ment,  and  interpretation  of  museum  collections  demand  liberal 
financial  support.  They  must  be  shown  under  secure  and  hon¬ 
orable  conditions.  Unless  by  gift,  they  can  be  increased  only 
through  the  expenditure  of  large  sums  in  purchase  or  explora¬ 
tion.  Their  care  and  exposition  demand  a  staff  of  specialists. 
In  the  measure  of  its  power  of  wise  outlay  a  museum  can  both 
widen  and  deepen  its  beneficent  influence. 

The  legal  title  is  “  Museum  of  Fine  Arts.”  Names  of  givers 
are  permanently  attached  to  objects  purchased  with  their  gifts. 


416 


THE  MUSEUM  AND  ITS  HISTORY 


TRUSTEES  OE  THE  MUSEUM 


Named  in  Act  of  Incorporation,  Feb.  lt,  1870,  or  Since  Elected 


Charles  William  Eliot 

.  .  Feb. 

4,  1870 

Denman  Waldo  Ross 

Jan. 

17,  1895 

Charles  Sprague  Sargent 

Jan. 

18,  1900 

Morris  G  ray  . 

Jan. 

16,  1902 

Edward  Waldo  Forbes 

April 

28,  1903 

Thomas  Allen  .  .  .  . 

April 

15,  1909 

Augustus  Hemenway 

Jan. 

10,  1913 

William  C rowninshield  Endicott 

Jan. 

21,  1915 

George  Peabody  Gardner 

May 

0,  1915 

William  Endicott 

.  May 

0,  1915 

Holker  Abbott  .... 

.  July 

20,  1916 

Dudley  Leavitt  Pickman 

.  .  July 

18,  1918 

Henry  Lee  Siiattuck 

Oct. 

17,  1918 

Henry  Forbes  Bigelow 

June 

5,  1919 

Thomas  Jefferson  Coolidge 

Jan. 

20,  1921 

Appointed  by  Harvard  College 
William  Sturgis  Bigelow,  1891 
John  Templeman  Coolidge,  1902 
George  Henry  Chase,  1918 

Appointed  by  the  Boston  Athenaeum 
Joseph  Randolph  Coolidge,  Jr.,  1899 
Alexander  Wadsworth  Longfellow,  1904 
Charles  Knowles  Bolton,  1917 

Appointed  by  the  Massachusetts  Institute  of  Technology 
Eliiiu  Thomson,  1920 
Edward  Jackson  Holmes,  1910 
Desmond  FitzGerald,  1910 

Ex  Officio 

James  Michael  Curley,  Mayor  of  Boston,  1922 
Alexander  Mann,  President  of  the  Trustees  of  the  Public  Library, 
1920 

Jeremiah  Edmund  Burke,  Superintendent  of  Public  Schools,  1921 

Payson  Smith,  Commissioner  of  Education,  1916 

Abbott  Lawrence  Lowell,  Trustee  of  the  Lowell  Institute,  1900 


OFFICERS  AND  COMMITTEES 


417 


OFFICERS  AND  COMMITTEES  FOR  1922 

Morris  Gray,  President 

William  Crowninshielb  Endicott,  Treasurer 
Arthur  Fairbanks,  Director 
Benjamin  Ives  Gilman,  Secretary  of  the  Museum 
John  Eliot  Thayer,  Jr.,  Assistant  Treasurer 


STANDING  COMMITTEES 


Committee  on  the  Museum 
To  serve  until  1923 

John  Templeman  Coolidge, 
George  Peabody  Gardner 
To  serve  until  1924 
Henry  Forbes  Bigelow 
Edward  Jackson  Holmes 
To  serve  until  1925 
Dudley  Leavitt  Pickman 
Denman  Waldo  Ross 


Ex  Officio 


The  President 
The  Treasurer 
The  Director,  Chairman 


Committee  on  the  School  of  the  Museum  of  Fine  Arts 


The  President,  Ex  Officio 
The  Director,  Ex  Officio 
Thomas  Allen 


Finance  Committee 


The  President,  Ex  Officio 
The  Treasurer,  Ex  Officio 


George  Peabody  Gardner 
William  Endicott 


4iS 


TIIE  MUSEUM  AND  ITS  HISTORY 


VISITING  COMMITTEES 

Administration 

Herbert  Mason  Sears,  Chairman 
Allan  Forbes 

George  Peabody  Gardner,  Jr. 
Francis  Gray 
Roger  Pierce 

Classical  Art 

William  Lindsey,  Chairman 
Mrs.  Emile  Francis  Williams 
George  Henry  Chase 
Joseph  Clark  Hoppin 
Mrs.  Frederick  Winslow 
Cyrus  E.  Dallin 
Miss  Ellen  Mason 

Prints 

George  Peabody  Gardner,  Chairman 

Charles  Cobb  Walker 

William  Maurice  Bullivant 

Paul  Joseph  Sachs 

Felix  Moritz  Warburg 

Mrs.  Thomas  Jefferson  Coolidge 

Gordon  Abbott 

Miss  Ellen  Bullard 

Allen  Curtis 

Eben  S.  Draper 

Egyptian  Art 

Augustus  Hemenway,  Chairman 

George  F.  Moore 

Mrs.  George  Russell  Agassiz 

Mrs.  Oric  Bates 

Ralph  W.  Gray 

Mrs.  S.  V.  R.  Crosby 

Mrs.  Gardiner  Martin  Lane 

Chinese  and  Japanese  Art 
Edward  Jackson  Holmes,  Chairman 
Mrs.  Ernest  Blanf.y  Dane 
James  LIaugiiton  Woods 
Mrs.  Charles  Goddard  Weld 
Mrs.  Washington  B.  Thomas 
Mrs.  Larz  Anderson 
Miss  Emily  McKibbin 


COMMITTEES 


419 


Paintings 

Desmond  FitzGerald,  Chairman 

Thomas  Allen 

Robert  Treat  Paine,  2d 

Mrs.  Adelaide  Cole  Chase 

Mrs.  Calvin  G.  Page 

Mrs.  W.  Scott  Fitz 

Philip  L.  Hale 


Western  Art:  Textiles 

Dr.  Denman  Waldo  Ross,  Chairman 

John  Singer  Sargent 

Philip  Ainsworth  Means 

Mrs.  Gorham  Brooks 

Mrs.  Edward  Jackson  Holmes 


Western  Art:  Other  Collections 

Dudley  Leavitt  Pickman,  Chairman 

Henry  Davis  Sleeper 

Francis  Hill  Bigelow 

William  Crowninshield  Endicott 

Mrs.  John  Fremont  Hill 

Mrs.  Roger  Sherman  Warner 

Mrs.  Henry  Lyman 

John  Templeman  Coolidge 


Library 

Charles  Knowles  Bolton,  Chairman 
Charles  Kimball  Cummings 
Mrs.  Charles  Pelham  Curtis 
Edward  Percival  Merritt 
Mrs.  Henry  Lefavour 
Charles  Francis  Dorr  Belden 
Miss  Nina  H.  Burnham 
William  Truman  Aldrich 
Mrs.  Ernest  W.  Bowditch 


The  President  of  the  Museum  is  ex  officio  a  member  of  all  the 
Visiting  Committees. 


420 


THE  MUSEUM  AND  ITS  HISTORY 


Advisory  Committee  on  Education 

Charles  William  Eliot,  Chairman 
Charles  Knowles  Bolton 
Jeremiah  Edmund  Burke 
Mrs.  Richard  Clarke  Cabot 
Joseph  Randolph  Coolidge,  Jr. 

Theodore  Milton  Dillaway 
Arthur  Fairbanks 
Morris  Gray 

Mrs.  Horatio  Appleton  Lamb 
Alexander  Mann 
Miss  Fanny  Peabody  Mason 
Mrs.  Robert  Shaw  Russell 
Payson  Smith 

The  Secretary  of  the  Museum,  Ex  Officio,  Secretary 


STAFF  OF  THE  MUSEUM 


421 


THE  STAFF  OF  THE  MUSEUM 


Director 

Secretary  of  the  Museum 
Assistant  Director,  Bursar 
Registrar 


Arthur  Fairbanks 
Benjamin  Ives  Gilman 
Charles  Henry  Hawes 
Hanford  Lyman  Story 


Acting  Curator 


Department  of  Prints 

Henry  Preston  Rossiter 


Department  of  Classical  Art 
Curator  Lacey  Davis  Caskey 


Department  of  Chinese  and  Japanese  Art 


Curator 

Assistant  Curator 
Keeper  of  Japanese  Pottery 
Keeper  in  the  Department 
Librarian  of  the  Department 


John  Ellerton  Lodge 
Kojiro  Tomita 
Edward  Sylvester  Morse 
Francis  Stewart  Kershaw 
Miss  Chie  Hirano 


Sections  of  Indian  Art  and  Muhammadan  Art 
Keeper  Ananda  K.  Coomaraswamy 


Department  of  Egyptian  Art 

Curator 

Assistant  Curator 


George  Andrew  Reisner 
Dows  Dunham 


Keeper 


Department  of  Painting 

John  Briggs  Potter 


Department  of  Western  Art 

Keeper  in  the  Department  Edwin  James  Hipkiss 

Adviser  in  Textiles  Mrs.  Charles  Wendell  Townsend 

Assistant  in  Charge  of  Textiles  Miss  Gertrude  Townsend 


THE  MUSEUM  AND  ITS  HISTORY 


422 


Library 


Acting  Librarian  Ashton  Sanborn 

Assistant  Librarian,  with  Charge  of  Photographs 

Miss  Frances  Ellis  Turner 

Department  of  Publication  and  Instruction 

The  Secretary  of  the  Museum  in  Charge 

Assistant  in  Publication  Miss  Harriett  E.  Dickinson 

Assistant  in  Instruction  Miss  Margaret  L.  Wheeler 


Superintendent 


Building  and  Grounds 

Michael  Moore 


HONORARY  OFFICERS 

Honorary  Curator  of  the  Department 

of  Western  Art  Frank  Gair  Macomber 

Honorary  Keeper  of  Coins  Malcolm  Storer 


PUBLICATIONS 


423 


LIST  OF  PUBLICATIONS 

Apply  at  the  office  at  the  Huntington  Avenue  entrance,  or  by  mail  to 
the  Secretary  of  the  Museum.  Postage  extra. 

Bulletin.  Published  bi-monthly  at  50  cents  per  year  post 
paid;  single  copies,  10  cents.  Vol.  1,  1903.  Past  numbers, 
20  cents  each.  Past  Volumes,  $1.00  each.  Volumes  I-IV 
(1906)  in  part  out  of  print. 

Annual  Report.  Published  in  March.  Sent  free  on  appli¬ 


cation. 

Handbook  of  the  Museum,  over  400  pp.,  with  more 

than  300  illustrations.  In  paper  ......  $0.75 

Section  relating  to  Indian  Art  .......  .15 

Leaflet  Guide  to  the  Museum.  (Illustrated)  ...  .05 

Museum  of  Fine  Arts,  Boston,  1870-1920  (Illustrated)  .  .25 

Synopsis  of  History,  with  special  reference  to  Architec¬ 
ture,  Painting,  Sculpture  and  the  Derivative  Arts.  .  .25 

Museum.  Ideals  of  Purpose  and  Method.  Benjamin 
Ives  Gilman.  Printed  by  order  of  the  Trustees, 

1918.  Second  Edition,  with  additions  and  an 
Index,  1922  ..........  4.00 

List  of  Publications  ..........  Sent  free 


Department  of  Prints 

The  Print  Collector’s  Quarterly,  formerly  published  by 
the  Museum,  with  Mr.  FitzRoy  Carrington,  at  the 
time  Curator  of  Prints,  as  Editor,  was  discontinued 
with  Vol.  VII,  No.  4,  for  December,  1917.  Publi¬ 
cation  of  the  Quarterly  has  now  been  resumed  by 
Messrs.  J.  M.  Dent  and  Sons,  Ltd.,  10-13  Bedford 
Street,  Covent  Garden,  London,  W.  f '..  England, 
with  Mr.  Campbell  Dodgson,  Keeper  of  Prints  and 
Drawings  at  the  British  Museum,  as  Editor,  and 
Mr.  Carrington  as  American  Editor.  Vol.  VIII, 

No.  1,  April,  1921.  The  subscription  price  is 
twenty  shillings  in  England,  four  dollars  in  America. 

Print  Collector’s  Booklets: 

The  Men  of  1830. 

Le  Pere  Corot. 

Charles  Francois  Daubigny,  Painter  and  Etcher. 

By  Robert  J.  Wickenden. 

Charles  Jacque  (1813-1894). 

By  Robert  J.  Wickenden. 

Maxima  Lalanne. 

By  William  Aspenwall  Bradley. 

Each  booklet,  in  paper  . .  $0.25 


424  THE  museum  and  its  history 

Gallery  Hook: 

The  Intaglios  of  the  Corona  Lucis  in  the 

Cathedral  of  Aix-la-Chapelle .  SO.  25 

Catalogue  of  the  Engraved  and  Lithographed  Work 
of  John  Cheney  and  Seth  Wells  Cheney  (1891). 

S.  R.  Koehler .  2.50 

Exhibition  of  Turner’s  “Liber  Studiorum”  (1904). 

Francis  Bullard .  1.00 

Exhibition  of  Early  Engraving  in  America:  Decem¬ 
ber  12,  1904,  to  February  5,  1905  .  1.00 

In  boards  on  hand-made  paper .  2.00 

Engravers  and  Etchers.  Six  lectures  delivered  on 
the  Scammon  Foundation  at  the  Art  Institute  of 
Chicago.  FitzRoy  Carrington  .  6.00 

French  Etchers  of  the  Second  Empire.  W.  A.  Bradley  2.50 

Department  of  Egyptian  Art 

Gallery  Books: 

Mastaba  Gallery. 

Old  Kingdom  Sculpture .  .25 

Middle  Kingdom  Room. 

The  Tomb  of  Dehuti-Nekt  and  his  wife,  about 

2000  B.  C .  .25 

Department  of  Classical  Art 

Geometry  of  Greek  Vases.  Attic  vases  in  the  Museum 
of  Fine  Arts  analyzed  according  to  the  principles 
of  proportion  discovered  by  Jay  Hambidge 
(1922).  L.  D.  Caskey .  6.25 

Greek  Gods  and  Heroes  as  Represented  in  the  Clas¬ 
sical  Collections  of  the  Museum :  a  Handbook  for 
High  School  Students  (1915).  Arthur  Fairbanks, 
in  conjunction  with  a  Committee  of  Teachers.  .  .30 


THE  MUSEUM  AND  ITS  HISTORY 


425 


Gallery  Books: 

Classical  Corridor. 

Graeco-Roman  Glass. 

Archaic  Room. 

Terra  Cotta  Figurines  and  Vases. 

Fifth  Century  Room. 

Bronzes  and  Terra  Cotta  Figurines. 

Vases. 

Graeco-Roman  Gallery. 

Sculpture. 

Each  Book .  $0.25 

Catalogue  of  Arretine  Moulds  (1916).  G.  H  Chase  .  3.50 

Catalogue  of  Casts  for  sale . Sent  free. 

Department  of  Chinese  and  Japanese  Art 

Catalogue  of  the  Morse  Collection  of  Japanese  Pot¬ 
tery  (1901).  Edward  S.  Morse  ......  50.00 

Japanese  Sword  Guards,  35  plates,  illustrating  69 

examples .  .50 

Gallery  Books 

Japanese  Theatrical  Costumes  worn  in  the  No  Drama  .50 

Netsuke  . .  .50 

An  Introduction  to  Japanese  Art  of  the  Ukiyo-e 

School  .  .10 

Department  of  Western  Art 

Manual  of  Italian  Renaissance  Sculpture  (1904). 

Benjamin  Ives  Gilman .  1.00 

Catalogue  of  a  Loan  Exhibition  of  American  Church 

Silver  (1911) :  with  illustrations .  5.00 

Catalogue  of  the  Quincy  Adams  Shaw  Collection  of 
Italian  Renaissance  Sculpture  and  of  Paintings 
and  Pastels  by  Jean  Francois  Millet  (1918)  .  .  .50 

Catalogue  of  Paintings  (Preliminary  Edition,  1921)  .  1.00 

Gallery  Books: 

Gothic  Room  .  .25 

Italian  Renaissance  Sculpture  .  .25 

Bremgarten  Room .  .10 

Lawrence  Room  . .  .10 

W.  A.  Buffum  Collection  of  Amber .  .10 

European  and  American  pewter .  .10 

The  publications  of  the  Museum  are  on  sale  in  London  by  Bernard 
Quaritch,  No.  11,  Grafton  St.,  New  Bond  St.  W. 


4  26 


THE  MUSEUM  AND  ITS  HISTORY 


The  following  publications  are  also  on  sale  at  the  office  at  the 
Huntington  Avenue  entrance. 


A  Catalogue  of  the  Engraved  Plates  for  Picturesque 
Views  in  England  and  Wales  after  Water  Color 
Drawings  by  J.  M.  W.  Turner.  Francis  Bullard. 

Merrymount  Press,  1910.  Paper .  $1.00 

Cloth .  1.50 

Athenian  White  Lekythoi.  Arthur  Fairbanks.  Uni¬ 
versity  of  Michigan  Studies.  Humanistic  Series. 

Vol.  VI,  1907  . .  4.00 

Vol.  VII,  1914 .  3.50 

Buddhist  Art  in  Its  Relation  to  Buddhist  Doctrine. 

M.  Anesaki.  Houghton  Mifflin  Co.,  1915. 

In  boards  .  7.50 

Paper .  5.00 

Historic  Silver  of  the  Colonies.  F.  H.  Bigelow.  Mac¬ 
millan  Co.,  1917 .  5.00 


OPPORTUNITIES  OF  INSTRUCTION  427 

OPPORTUNITIES  OF  INSTRUCTION,  1922-1923 
COURSES  OF  LECTURES 

Museum  Course 

The  Development  of  Artistic  Insight.  Saturdays  at  10.30. 
Thirty  lectures  in  three  courses,  beginning  October  7.  Fee  $5  for 
each  course.  Miss  Alicia  M.  Keyes,  Lecturer  at  the  Museum. 

The  aim  of  these  courses  is  to  increase  the  power  of  seeing  a  few 
works  of  art  in  the  Museum,  special  attention  being  given  to 
artistic  quality.  Until  a  week  before  the  opening  applicants  hold¬ 
ing  teaching  positions  will  be  given  preference.  As  the  classes  are 
limited  to  twenty-five,  early  application  should  be  made. 

Museum  School  Courses 

In  connection  with  the  work  of  the  School  of  the  Museum  the 
following  courses  of  lectures  will  be  given  in  the  Museum.  While 
they  are  intended  for  regular  students  in  the  School,  they  will  not 
be  too  technical  to  benefit  others  who  are  interested  in  the  subjects 
presented. 

Artistic  Anatomy.  Tuesdays  and  Fridays  at  2.  Twenty-four 
lectures,  beginning  October  6.  Fee,  $15.  Mr.  Philip  L.  Hale. 

The  History  of  Design.  Thursdays  at  3.  Thirty  lectures 
beginning  October  12.  Fee,  $15.  Mr.  Henry  Hunt  Clark. 

Simmons  College  Course 

The  following  course,  under  the  auspices  of  Simmons  College 
will  be  given  at  the  Museum  and  be  open  to  all  who  obtain  the 
consent  of  the  instructor.  Fee,  $20. 

The  Appreciation  of  Art.  Mondays,  Tuesdays,  Thursdays  and 
Fridays,  at  3.30  P.  M.,  for  the  ten  weeks  beginning  March  26. 
Miss  Blanche  L.  Morse.  For  application  forms  address  the  Regis¬ 
trar  of  Simmons  College,  300  Fenway,  Boston. 


WEDNESDAY  CONFERENCES 

The  officers  of  several  of  the  Museum  departments  will  as  usual 
give  a  series  of  Conferences,  or  informal  lectures,  during  the  coming 
winter,  on  subjects  connected  with  their  departments.  The  dates, 
topics  and  speakers  will  be  duly  announced  in  the  Museum  Bulletin 
and  in  the  press.  The  Conferences  are  especially  addressed  to 
those  who  have  given  some  attention  to  the  branches  of  art  they 
represent  and  are  designed  to  enable  such  persons  to  extend  their 
acquaintance  with  the  cultural  sources  of  the  Museum  collections , 


428  THE  MUSEUM  AND  ITS  HISTORY 


OCCASIONAL  LECTURES 

The  Museum  expects  to  continue  to  offer  the  Boston  public  the 
opportunity  of  hearing  lectures  by  eminent  specialists,  temporarily 
in  the  city,  on  subjects  connected  with  the  branches  of  art  repre¬ 
sented  here.  These  occasional  lectures  will  be  duly  announced  in 
the  press  and  by  special  notices  to  institutions  and  others  inter¬ 
ested. 


DOCENT  SERVICE 
For  Visitors 

On  Week  Days.  Visitors  desiring  to  see  the  Museum,  or  any 
department  or  exhibit,  in  the  company  of  a  representative  of  the 
Museum  as  Docent,  are  invited  to  write  for  an  appointment  to 
Miss  Wheeler,  Assistant  in  Instruction.  Application  may  also 
be  made  in  person  to  the  Doorkeeper  at  the  Huntington  Avenue 
entrance,  when  a  Docent  will  be  provided  if  one  of  the  Staff  is 
available  for  the  duty  at  the  tune.  The  service  is  free  to  all. 

On  Sundays  to  All  Comers.  On  every  Sunday  afternoon  from 
October  to  May  invited  speakers  or  members  of  the  Museum  Staff 
will  give  talks  in  the  galleries  or  the  lecture  hall  at  3  and  4  P.  M. 
The  talks  generally  occupy  three-quarters  of  an  hour,  and  the 
gallery  in  which  a  talk  is  in  progress  is  barred  meanwhile  to  the 
passage  of  other  visitors.  Seats  are  provided.  The  subjects  and 
the  speakers  are  announced  in  the  Fine  Arts  column  of  the  Satur¬ 
day  and  Sunday  papers,  on  the  bulletin  board  at  the  Huntington 
Avenue  entrance  to  the  Museum,  and  in  special  notices  which  will 
be  sent  to  any  address  upon  request. 

On  Sundays  to  Small  Groups.  In  previous  seasons  the  Museum 
has  provided  a  Docent  on  Sunday  afternoons  to  accompany  groups 
of  not  over  six  persons  to  the  galleries  for  the  explanation  of  such 
exhibits  as  the  majority  select.  It  is  expected  to  offer  this 
opportunity  again  next  winter.  The  groups  start  from  the  sign  in 
the  Huntington  Avenue  Entrance  Hall  at  2.30  and  3.30,  each  tour 
lasting  forty-five  minutes.  Due  announcement  will  be  made  in 
the  press. 

For  Instructors  and  Pupils 

Collections  of  art  like  those  of  the  Museum  are  of  the  greatest 
value  in  vitalizing  the  study  of  history,  literature,  and  geography, 
and  for  classes  in  art  appreciation,  drawing,  and  design.  The 
Museum  cordially  invites  teachers  to  bring  their  classes  to  the 
Museum  and  to  ask  for  the  attendance  of  a  Docent.  Appoint¬ 
ments  for  Docent  service  may  be  made  either  singly  or  in  series, 
and  for  groups  of  any  size  up  to  twenty-five  persons. 


OPPORTUNITIES  OF  INSTRUCTION  429 


Talks  in  the  Schools.  On  request  from  any  teacher  in  the  Boston 
schools,  Miss  Wheeler,  Assistant  in  Instruction  at  the  Museum, 
will  go  to  the  schools  to  give  talks  to  the  pupils  in  their  classrooms 
or  lecture-rooms,  illustrating  them  by  lantern  slides  or  photographs 
from  the  Museum  collections.  This  service  is  free,  and  is  intended 
to  prepare  classes  for  visits  to  the  Museum,  but  as  appointments 
in  the  Museum  will  have  prior  claim  on  the  Assistant’s  time,  it 
may  be  necessary  to  make  arrangements  some  time  in  advance. 

Suggested  Topics: 

The  Emperor  Augustus 
Ancient  Egypt  ? 

Stories  of  Venice  r 
Greek  Myths 

Material  for  the  Use  of  Teachers.  The  Egyptian  Travelling 
Exhibit  can  be  sent  to  any  school  on  application  to  Mr.  John  C. 
Brodhead,  Assistant  Superintendent  of  Schools,  to  whom  it  is  sent 
every  fall  for  the  school  year.  Together  with  a  group  of  original 
Egyptian  objects,  it  contains  a  typewritten  description  of  these 
objects,  and  a  lecture  illustrated  with  slides. 

School  sheets  or  half  tone  pages  of  objects  in  the  Museum  col¬ 
lections  of  especial  interest  to  students,  can  be  obtained  for  three 
or  five  cents  a  sheet  at  the  Sales  Desk. 

Extra  illustrations  of  Classical  History.  The  Thompson  Charts 
are  helpful  in  the  teaching  of  Greek  and  Roman  History  and  are 
sold  ip  the  Catalogue  Office  at  the  Museum. 

For  Clubs  and  Groups 

Clubs' and  other  groups  are  invited  to  make  appointments  or 
series  of  appointments  for  informal  conferences  or  illustrated 
lectures  by  officers  of  the  Museum  on  subjects  connected  with  the 
branches  of  art  represented  in  the  collections. 

The  Museum  makes  no  charge  for  appointments  in  the  building, 
but  suggests  that  the  participants  contribute,  if  they  so  desire, 
toward  the  general  educational  funds  of  the  institution.  For 
appointments  elsewhere  the  speakers  receive  an  honorarium  of  $25 
and  upwards,  with  expenses. 

MUSEUM  INSTRUCTION  OF  YOUNG  PEOPLE 

Story-Telling 

Summer  Story-hours.  The  Museum  has  for  several  years 
arranged  for  the  telling  of  stories  to  young  children,  in  the  Lecture 
Hall,  on  subjects  connected  with  the  collections.  The  Story- 
hours  are  held  every  weekday  during  July  and  August.  For  the 


430 


THE  MUSEUM  AND  ITS  HISTORY 


summer  of  1922  the  story-tellers  are  Mrs.  Mary  W.  Cronan  and 
Miss  Wheeler,  Assistant,  in  Instruction  at  the  Museum.  The 
salaries  of  the  story-tellers  and  the  expense  of  transportation  have 
been  met  by  a  gift  from  one  or  another  generous  friend  of  the 
Museum  and  of  children.  Two  groups  of  about  sixty  children 
each  are  brought  daily  in  a  special  trolley-car  to  the  Museum,  one 
in  the  morning  at  9.30,  and  the  other  in  the  afternoon  at  2.30. 
The  story  is  told  with  lantern  accompaniment,  and  the  children 
are  taken  to  see  related  objects  in  the  galleries  and  dismissed,  each 
with  a  postal  card  illustrating  the  talk.  A  special  notice  from  the 
Museum  each  spring  invites  the  Branch  Libraries,  Playgrounds, 
and  Settlement  Houses  of  the  city  to  arrange  groups. 

Winter  Story-hours.  Similar  courses  of  illustrated  Story-hours 
will  be  given  on  Saturdays  at  2.30  P.  M.  during  the  coming  winter, 
by  Miss  Wheeler.  The  dates  and  topics  will  be  duly  announced  in 
the  Bulletin  and  the  press.  The  stories  will  be  adapted  to  children 
under  fourteen  and  all  are  cordially  invited. 

Classes  in  Drawing 

The  following  courses  of  instruction  in  drawing  from  objects 
in  the  collections  are  offered  to  young  people.  The  purpose  of 
the  instruction  is  the  development  of  visual  capacity  as  the 
foundation  of  artistic  insight. 

The  courses  are  held  both  in  the  galleries  and  in  the  class  rooms 
of  the  Museum.  For  the  younger  children  materials  and  apparatus 
are  supplied  by  the  Museum.  The  instructors  are  Miss  Alice  J. 
Morse,  Miss  Jeannette  Greenberg,  Miss  Edith  Rudin  and  Miss 
Olga  Le  Brecht. 

Winter  Courses  from  October  to  May  inclusive,  with  an  inter¬ 
mission  during  the  holiday  season. 

For  pupils  over  fourteen  years  of  age.  Saturday,  from  10  to  1, 
beginning  October  7.  Fee,  $2.00  for  each  of  the  two  terms.  Miss 
Morse. 

For  pupils  under  fourteen  years  of  age,  Saturday  morning,  from 
10  to  12,  beginning  Saturday,  October  7.  Fee  $1.00  for  each  of  the 
two  terms.  Miss  Greenberg  and  Miss  Le  Brecht. 

Sunday  afternoon,  from  1  to  4,  beginning  Sunday,  October  8. 
Fee,  $1.00  for  each  of  the  two  terms.  Miss  Greenberg  and  Miss 
Rudin. 

Summer  Courses  during  July  and  August. 

For  pupils  under  fourteen  years  of  age.  Wednesday,  Thursday 
and  Friday  mornings,  from  10  to  12,  beginning  July  5,  1923.  Fee 
$1.00.  Miss  Greenberg. 

For  admission  to  these  classes  apply  to  Miss  Wheeler,  Assistant 
in  Instruction,  Office  of  the  Administration  at  the  Museum. 


Opportunities  of  instruction  431 


PRIVATE  INSTRUCTION 

The  use  of  the  Museum  classrooms  and  lecture  halls  is  open  to 
any  persons  or  organizations  desiring  to  illustrate  single  lectures  or 
courses  of  instruction  by  the  collections.  Credentials  satisfactory 
to  the  Museum  must  be  furnished  and  the  form  of  any  public  an¬ 
nouncement  approved. 

The  use  of  the  room  is  free.  If  the  lantern  is  used  an  operator  is 
furnished  and  a  charge  of  $3.00  for  each  occasion  is  made.  The 
Museum  assmnes  no  responsibility  for  this  instruction. 

The  use  of  the  Galleries  for  study  and  copying  is  open  to  classes 
under  instructors  fulfilling  the  same  conditions.  No  formal  in¬ 
struction  is  permitted  unless  by  Special  permission.  Quiet,  order¬ 
liness  and  a  scrupulous  regard  for  the  safety  of  the  collections  will 
be  required  of  all  students. 

LIBRARY  AND  PHOTOGRAPH  COLLECTION 

The  Library  and  the  Photograph  Collection  of  the  Museum 
(over  the  Huntington  Avenue  entrance)  are  open  to  use  by  all 
visitors.  They  are  restricted  to  books  and  photographs  relating  to 
the  Fine  Arts  and  mainly  to  the  branches  of  art  represented  in  the 
Museum  collections.  No  formal  instruction  of  classes  is  permitted. 

DEPARTMENT  ROOMS 

The  study  rooms  of  the  Departments  of  Chinese  and  Japanese 
Art,  Classical  Art,  Prints,  Western  (European)  Art,  and  Textiles 
(on  the  ground  floor)  are  open  to  use  by  all  who  desire  to  pursue 
studies  in  these  branches  of  art  under  the  guidance  of  officers  of  the 
Museum  and  with  the  aid  of  the  Museum  collections. 

For  further  information  regarding  opportunities  of  instruction 
apply  to  Miss  Wheeler,  Assistant  in  Instruction  at  the  Museum. 


HISTORICAL  DATA 


43  3 


First  Museum  Building 


HISTORICAL  DATA 

STATEMENTS  OF  PURPOSES 

The  charter  constitutes  “a  body  corporate,  by  the  name 
of  the  Trustees  of  the  Museum  of  Fine  Arts  for  the  purpose  of 
erecting  a  museum  for  the  preservation  and  exhi- 
poration,  bition  of  works  of  art,  of  making,  maintaining, 
^87orUary  4’  ar,d  exhibiting  collections  of  such  works,  and  of 
affording  instruction  in  the  Fine  Arts.” 

“The  objects  of  the  Museum  of  Fine  Arts  are:  1st.  To 
make  available  to  the  public  and  to  students  such  art  collec¬ 
tions  already  existing  in  this  neighborhood  as  the 
proprietors  of  such  collections  may  see  fit  to  de¬ 
posit  in  a  suitable  building  to  be  arranged  for  the 
purpose,  —  under  such  general  provisions  as  to 
the  custody  and  exhibition  thereof  as  shall  be 
agreed  upon,  —  with  the  sole  view  to  their  greatest  public  use¬ 
fulness.  2d.  To  form  in  this  way  the  nucleus  of  what  may 
hereafter  become,  through  the  liberality  of  enlightened  friends 
of  Art,  a  representative  Museum  of  the  Fine  Arts,  in  all  their 
branches  and  in  all  their  technical  applications.  3d.  To  provide 


Report  of 
Committee 
on  By-Laws, 
March  17, 
1870 


434  THE  MUSEUM  AND  ITS  HISTORY 


opportunities  and  means  for  giving  instruction  in  Drawing, 
Painting,  Modelling,  and  Designing,  with  their  industrial  ap¬ 
plications,  through  lectures,  practical  schools,  and  a  special 
library.” 

”...  the  Museum  was  founded  upon  a  very  broad  basis. 

Its  aims,  as  is  expressed  in  its  charter,  are  to  make,  maintain, 

and  exhibit  collections  of  works  of  art,  and  to 

afford  instruction  in  the  Fine  Arts:  as  expressed  the*  Increase 

by  the  words  on  its  corporate  seal,  they  are,  ‘  Art,  of  the  Col- 
T  ^  ,  .  lections, 

Industry,  Education  ;  as  implied  by  the  condi-  Annual  Re- 

tion  of  free  access  for  the  public  contained  in  the  port’  1883 
deed  of  its  land,  they  are  the  benefit  and  pleasure  of  the  whole 
community.” 


”...  it  is  of  the  first  importance  that  our  collections 
should  attract,  interest,  and  instruct  the  public;  and  it  is  of 
an  importance  second  only  to  this  that  they  should  meet  the 
requirements  of  the  artist,  the  student,  the  designer,  and  the 
specialist  ” 


”  In  using  our  space,  the  first  object  should  be  to  give  it  to 
those  things  which  have  the  greatest  interest  and  beauty;  the 
second,  to  secure  the  proportionate  growth  of  all  departments 
of  the  Museum.” 


”  To  frame  a  scheme  for  the  purchase  of  original  works  is, 
however,  practicable  oidy  in  the  most  general  way.  We  must 
assume  as  the  foundation  of  it  that  the  Museum  is  to  be  what 
its  name  expresses,  a  Museum  of  the  Fine  Arts;  that  its  pri¬ 
mary  intention  is  to  collect  and  exhibit  the  best  obtainable 
works  of  genius  and  skill;  that  the  application  of  the  Fine 
Arts  to  industry  and  the  illustration  of  the  Fine  Arts  by 
archaeology  are  both  within  its  province,  but  that  neither  of 
these  is  its  first  object.” 


HISTORICAL  DATA 


435 


ORIGIN  AND  GROWTH 

In  1859,  eleven  years  before  the  incorporation  of  the  Mu¬ 
seum,  the  Jarves  Collection  of  Italian  pictures,  now  in  New 
Haven,  had  been  offered  as  a  nucleus  for  a  public 
Foundation  museum  of  art  in  Boston,  but  the  project  had 
been  abandoned.  In  1869  several  circumstances 
combined  to  reawaken  interest  in  the  scheme.  The  Boston 
Athenaeum  had  received  a  bequest  of  armor  and  the  offer  of 
funds  for  a  room  wherein  to  exhibit  it.  The  Social  Science 
Association  had  conceived  the  idea  of  a  public  collection  of 
plaster  reproductions  of  sculpture.  Harvard  College  sought 
an  opportunity  to  make  its  collection  of  engravings  useful  to 
the  public.  The  Massachusetts  Institute  of  Technology  had 
no  sufficient  room  for  its  collection  of  architectural  casts.  In 
October,  1869,  representatives  of  these  organizations  united 
with  other  interested  persons  in  appealing  to  the  State  Legis¬ 
lature.  which  early  in  the  following  year  established  a  public 
Museum  of  Fine  Arts  in  Boston  by  granting  the  present  char¬ 
ter.  No  support  from  State  or  City  was  provided  for,  and  none 
has  ever  been  received.  In  granting  the  Museum  the  site  of 
the  first  building  on  Copley  Square,  the  City  acted  as  agent 
for  the  Boston  Water  Power  Company,  from  whom  it  had  re¬ 
ceived  the  property  for  a  museum  or  park. 

Among  the  founders  of  the  Museum,  Martin  Brimmer,  its 
President  for  twenty-five  years  until  his  death  in  1895,  and 
Charles  C.  Perkins,  Honorary  Director  for  sixteen 
Founders  years  until  his  death  in  1888,  should  be  named 
first.  The  reports  and  published  addresses  of  both 
testify  to  their  high  conception  and  clear  grasp  of  the  essential 
purposes  of  the  Museum.  The  first  executive  officer  appointed 
was  General  Charles  G.  Loring,  a  veteran  of  the  Civil  War  and 
both  before  and  after  a  traveller  in  Egypt  and  student  of  Egyp¬ 
tology.  General  Loring  remained  in  genera!  charge  of  the  Mu¬ 
seum  for  twenty-six  years  as  Curator  and  afterward  Director, 
from  its  opening  in  1876  until  his  resignation  in  1902,  and  at 
his  death  a  few  months  later  was  Director  Emeritus. 


436  THE  MUSEUM  AND  ITS  HISTORY 


At  a  meeting  held  February  3,  1871,  in  Music-  Hall,  a 
committee  was  appointed  to  solicit  subscriptions  for  a  Museum 
building.  The  amount  ultimately  obtained  was  $261,000.  From 
a  number  of  competitive  designs  for  a  fireproof 
structure,  the  plans  of  Sturgis  &  Brigham,  well-  Building 
known  architects  of  Boston,  were  selected.  A 
wing  of  the  building  was  dedicated  with  appropriate  ceremony 
on  July  3,  1876,  and  on  the  next  day,  the  centennial  anniver¬ 
sary  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  it  was  opened  to  the 
public.  The  collections  of  the  Museum,  both  gifts  and  loans, 
which  for  four  years  had  been  exhibited  in  two  rooms  at  the 
Athenccum,  were  installed  in  the  new  structure. 

To  complete  the  front  of  the  building  another  popular  sub¬ 
scription  was  called  for  in  1878.  The  response  was  prompt  and 
generous.  In  1888  another  enlargement  of  the  building  became 
necessary.  The  amount  received  from  this  third  subscription 
enabled  the  Trustees  to  erect  two  wings  which,  with  a  connect¬ 
ing  corridor,  completed  a  quadrangle.  The  enlarged  building 
was  opened  in  1890,  the  contents  rearranged;  on  the  first  floor, 
the  collections  of  Egyptian  and  Classical  antiquities,  with 
casts  of  antique  and  Renaissance  sculpture;  on  the  second,  the 
collections  of  paintings,  minor  arts  of  Europe,  and  Oriental  art. 

Formany  years  the  Museum  was  without  funds  for  purchases, 
notwithstanding  the  utmost  economy  in  administration.  The 
exhibits  of  this  period  consisted  almost  entirely  of 
loans.  Later  both  bequestsand  gifts  were  received. 

Henry  L.  Pierce,  Catherine  C.  Perkins,  Julia  B.  H. 

James,  Harvey  D.  Parker,  George  B.  Hyde,  and  a  number  of 
others,  left  large  sums  to  the  Museum,  and  those  benefactions 
have  been  continued  by  the  bequests  of  R.  C.  Billings,  C.  H. 
Hayden,  Sarah  W.  Whitman,  Martin  Brimmer,  and  others. 
Within  the  ten  years  ending  in  190J  the  free  use  of  funds  avail¬ 
able  for  purchases  more  than  doubled  the  value  of  the  collec¬ 
tions  belonging  to  the  Museum. 

The  collections  of  Egyptian  Art  now  embrace  sculptures,  in¬ 
cluding  royal  statues  from  the  Mycerinus  Pyramid  Temple  at 
Giaeh,  obtained  in  the  course  of  recent  excavations  by  the 


HISTORICAL  DATA 


437 


Harvard  University-Museum  of  Fine  Arts  Exploring  Expedi¬ 
tion;  smaller  objects,  including  cut  leather  garment  of  1350 
B.  C.,  gold  ornaments,  tiles.  The  collections 
«onsC°IleC  Classical  Art  embrace  sculptures,  including 
the  Three-sided  Relief  (fifth  century),  Head  of 
Aphrodite,  female  head  from  Chios  (fourth  century;,  Head 
of  Homer  (Hellenistic);  terra-cottas,  including  portrait  head 
(Roman);  vases,  bronzes,  coins,  and  gems,  including  Marl¬ 
borough  cameo  (Graeco-Roman).  The  collections  of  Chinese 
and  Japanese  Art  embrace  sculptures  of  wood,  bronze,  marble, 
and  lacquer  from  the  fifth  century  to  the  present  time;  paint¬ 
ings,  including  the  Hokke  Mandara  (eighth  century)  and  the 
Heiji  Monogatari  Roll  (thirteenth  century);  early  Chinese 
pottery;  Chinese  bronze  mirrors,  swords,  and  lesser  works  in 
sculptured  iron,  bronze,  silver,  and  gold;  lacquers,  porcelains. 
The  collections  of  paintings  embrace  Spanish,  Italian,  Flemish, 
Dutch,  French,  English,  and  American  examples,  including 
Don  Baltazar  Carlos  and  His  Dwarf,  Velasquez;  Slave  Ship, 
Turner;  Watson  and  the  Shark,  Copley;  Athenaeum  Heads  of 
George  Washington  and  Martha  Washington,  Stuart.  In  the 
other  collections  of  W estern  Art  the  collections  of  Mohammedan 
art  embrace  pottery,  including  the  Sears  Persian  lustre  bowl 
(thirteenth  century),  Persian  illuminations,  Persian  rugs,  and 
velvets.  The  collections  of  European  Art  embrace  textiles,  in¬ 
cluding  Flemish  tapestries  (fifteenth  and  early  sixteenth  cen¬ 
turies);  sculpture,  including  Head  of  Ceres,  by  Auguste  Rodin; 
smaller  objects,  including  Paul  Revere  silver.  The  collection 
of  Prints  consists  of  80,000  examples.  The  collection  of  Plaster 
Casts  contains  several  hundred  casts  from  Greek,  Roman,  and 
Italian  Renaissance  sculpture.  The  Library  contains  50,000 
books  and  pamphlets  and  50,000  photographs;  all  chosen  with 
special  reference  to  the  Museum  collections  and  intended  for 
the  use  of  both  Staff  and  public. 

For  several  years  after  the  building  was  opened,  the  adminis¬ 
trative  work  of  the  Museum  was  performed  by  the  Director  and 
the  Secretary  with  a  small  number  of  assistants.  In  1885  two 
of  the  departments  were  placed  in  charge  of  men  of  special 


438  THE  MUSEUM  AND  ITS  HISTORY 


competence  Since  that  time  numerous  additions  have  been 
made  tothestaff  of  trained  men  upon  whose  judgment  theTrus- 
tees  have  relied  in  the  choice  of  acquisitions  and 
the  arrangement  of  exhibits,  and  to  whom  the  pub-  Administra- 
lic  have  come  to  look  for  aid  in  the  understanding 
of  the  collections.  To  the  band  of  active-minded  and  devoted 
scholars  who  are  or  have  been  identified  directly  or  indirectly 
with  its  interests,  the  Museum  owes  much  of  its  present  stand¬ 
ing  abroad  and  influence  at  home.  In  1906  Visiting  Com¬ 
mittees  to  the  Departments  of  the  Museum  were  appointed, 
and  in  1908  Advisory  Committees  upon  branches  of  its 
activity. 

The  development  of  the  methods  of  the  Museum  has  kept 
pace  with  the  growth  of  its  means.  The  Museum  has  sought 
to  attain  its  first  charter  purpose  —  that  of  pro¬ 
tecting  works  of  art  from  destruction  and  oblivion  Methods  of 

.  Public 

in  a  special  building  —  by  providing  in  the  new  Service 
Structure  (1909)  the  best  conditions  of  safety;  by 
arranging  therein  exhibition  galleries  in  which  each  object  is 
shown  to  the  best  possible  advantage;  by  stimulating  public 
interest  through  alternative  exhibitions  drawn  from  collections 
held  in  reserve;  and  by  promoting  understanding  of  the  ob¬ 
jects  shown,  through  both  oral  and  printed  interpretation. 
The  methods  of  oral  interpretation  employed  include  Gallery 
Conferences  (since  January,  1908)  by  officers  of  the  Museum 
and  other  competent  persons  on  objects  shown  at  the  time;  the 
assignment  of  these  and  other  speakers  under  the  title  of  Docent 
(since  April,  190?)  to  the  duty  of  meeting  visitors  singly  or  in 
groups  in  the  galleries  to  give  information  about  the  exhibits. 
The  Sunday  Docent  Service  (since  January,  1908)  includes 
guidance,  talks,  and  department  circuits  offered  by  profes¬ 
sional  men  and  others  of  special  training.  Printed  aids  to  un¬ 
derstanding  the  collections  include  labels  and  chart  books  in  the 
galleries,  a  Handbook  (first  edition,  August,  1906),  Bulletin 
(first  issue,  March,  1903),  and  other  publications;  photographs 
(since  May,  1882),  postal  cards  (since  1907),  and  half-tones  illus¬ 
trating  Museum  objects  sold  at  the  door;  teachers'  lists  (since 


HISTORICAL  DATA 


439 

1908)  of  objects  relating  to  historical  periods  and  teachers’  loan 
collections  of  photographs  and  lantern  slides. 

The  Museum  has  sought  to  attain  its  second  charter  purpose 
—  that  of  imparting  knowledge  and  skill  in  the  field  of  fine  art  — 
by  maintaining  a  library  of  fine  art  (since  1877 ):  by  giving  free 
admission  to  students  and  copyists  (since  1876);  by  providing 
in  its  new  building  (1909)  reserve  galleries  in  which  each  object 
can  be  studied  to  the  best  advantage;  by  offering  special  stu¬ 
dents  opportunities  for  work  in  the  Department  offices  (since 
1887);  by  publishing  catalogues  of  permanent  value(since  1887 ); 
by  arranging  courses  of  lectures  on  subjects  germane  to  the  col¬ 
lections  (since  1892,  University  Extension  courses  since  1908,); 
by  establishing  a  public  inventory  of  works  of  art  outside  the 
Museum,  interesting  and  accessible  to  the  Boston  public,  under 
the  title  of  a  Registry  of  Local  Art  (since  October,  1909);  and 
by  giving  the  best  instruction  practicable  in  the  arts  of  drawing, 
painting,  modelling,  and  designing  in  the  School  of  the  Mu¬ 
seum  (classes  begun  1876;  reorganized  as  the  School  of  the 
Museum,  1901). 

Three  circumstances  led  the  Trustees  in  1899  to  consider 
seeking  a  new  site  and  erecting  a  new  building  —  the  inad¬ 
equacy  of  the  Copley  Square  building  and  lot  for 

Studies  for  the  future  accommodation  of  the  Museum,  the 
the  New 

Museum  danger  of  fire  from  high  neighboring  structures, 
and  the  obstruction  of  light  thereby.  The  grounds 
on  which  the  present  Museum  stands,  covering  twelve  acres 
fronting  on  Huntington  Avenue  and  the  Fenway,  were  pur¬ 
chased  by  vote  of  the  Board  on  December  5,  1899.  On  April 
22,  1902,  the  sale  of  the  Copley  Square  property  was  effected 
and  on  May  27  a  Building  Committee  was  appointed,  under 
the  Chairmanship  of  Samuel  D.  Warren,  “with  full  powers 
to  procure  plans,  specifications,  and  estimates  for  Museum 
buildings  on  the  Fenway  land.” 

At  a  number  of  meetings  of  the  Building  Committee  the 
question  of  a  competition  of  architects  was  carefully  considered, 
the  decision  of  the  Committee  being  to  select  two  architects 
who  should  report  a  building  scheme  without  prejudice  to  the 


440  THE  MUSEUM  AND  ITS  HISTORY 


right  of  the  Trustees  to  proceed  thereafter  as  t hey  might  elect. 
In  accordance  with  this  decision,  the  Committee  in  the  follow¬ 
ing  November  commissioned  Mr.  R.  Clipston  Sturgis  in  con¬ 
sultation  with  Mr.  Edmund  M.  Wheelwright  to  collaborate 
with  the  Committee  and  the  Staff  of  the  Museum  in  studying 
the  possibilities  of  the  Fenway  site  and  in  formulating  a  possi¬ 
ble  solution  of  the  building  problem  both  in  writing  and  by 
drawings  and  sketches.  In  order  to  the  best  utilization  of  the 
property,  the  Trustees  asked  and  obtained  from  the  city  a 
change  in  the  layout  of  Huntington  entrance  and  the  Fenway, 
replacing  its  original  curves  by  rectangular  outlines. 

The  series  of  studies  which  have  ended  in  the  present  plan 
were  begun  in  January,  1903,  and  actively  prosecuted.  They 
are  recorded  in  several  scores  of  progressively  changing  sketch- 
plans  based  on  many  hundred  detail  drawings,  and  their  direct 
written  result  includes,  besides  reports  from  Messrs.  Sturgis 
and  Wheelwright  and  from  others,  two  volumes  entitled 
“Communications  to  the  Trustees  regarding  the  new  build¬ 
ing”  Nos.  1  and  2,  privately  printed  in  March  and  December, 
1904-,  and  containing,  with  extracts  from  recent  literature  on 
museum  construction  and  administration,  papers  contributed 
by  officers  of  the  Museum.  In  December,  1903,  the  Building 
Committee,  with  the  approval  of  the  Trustees,  commissioned 
the  architects  and  the  Director  to  study  European  museums. 
Accompanied  by  the  President  of  the  Museum,  the  party  spent 
the  following  three  months  (January  to  April,  19(H)  in  Europe, 
visiting  one  hundred  and  four  museums  and  galleries  in  thirty 
cities.  An  illustrated  volume  containing  reports  of  observa¬ 
tions  by  Messrs.  Sturgis  and  Wheelwright,  architects,  was 
privately  printed  in  January,  1905,  as  No.  3  of  Communica¬ 
tions  to  the  Trustees.  During  the  summer  of  1903  the  Com¬ 
mittee  authorized  the  erection  of  a  temporary  structure  on  the 
Fenway  site  for  the  purpose  of  experiments  in  the  lighting  of 
galleries.  The  work  was  conducted  at  first  under  the  super¬ 
vision  of  Professor  Charles  L.  Norton  of  the  Institute  of 
Technology,  and  later  in  the  immediate  charge  of  Mr.  W.  R. 
McCornaek,  in  co-operation  with  Messrs.  Sturgis  and  Wheel- 


HISTORICAL  DATA 


441 


wright,  architects  and  with  the  committees  and  officers  of  the 
Museum.  Experiments  were  continued  for  two  years,  and  in 
January,  1906.  an  illustrated  volume  entitled  “The  Experi¬ 
mental  Gallery.”  embodying  the  results  of  the  tests  made, 
was  privately  printed  as  No.  4  of  Communications  to  the 
Trustees. 

In  October,  1905,  the  Building  Committee  requested  and 
received  from  Professor  D.  Despradelle  of  the  Institute  of 
Technology  a  criticism  of  the  studies  for  the  new  building 
made  since  1903,  which  included  sketch-plans  submitted  by 
officers  of  the  Museum  during  the  preceding  summer  at  the 
instance  of  the  Committee.  Three  months  later,  in  January, 

1906,  the  Committee  presented  to  the  Trustees  a  unanimous 
report,  accompanied  by  a  sketch-plan,  elevations,  and  a  per¬ 
spective.  drawn  by  Professor  Despradelle,  and  recommended 
that  instead  of  instituting  a  competition  the  Trustees  should 
appoint  Mr.  Guy  Lowell  as  architect  of  the  building,  with 
Messrs.  E.  M.  Wheelwright,  R.  C.  Sturgis,  and  D.  Despradelle 
as  consulting  architects,  to  carry  out  the  design  in  substantial 
compliance  with  the  general  requirements  of  the  Committee 
as  elaborated  during  the  previous  three  years.  The  Trustees 
responded  by  authorizing  the  Committee  to  obtain  plans  in 
general  accordance  with  their  recommendations,  and  on  the 
19th  of  the  following  July  the  Committee  presented  to  the 
Trustees  plans,  elevations,  sections,  and  a  perspective  prepared 
by  Mr.  Lowell.  These  were  accepted  and  adopted  by  the 
Trustees,  who,  at  a  subsequent  meeting  held  February  4, 

1907,  authorized  the  signing  of  a  contract  for  that  part  of  the 
structure  which  had  been  planned  in  detail  for  immediate 
erection. 

On  April  11  ground  was  broken.  On  July  18  Mr.  Warren 
resigned  the  Chairmanship  of  the  Building  Committee,  re¬ 
maining  a  member;  and  Mr.  Henry  S.  Hunnewell,  a  member 
of  the  Committee  from  the  beginning,  was  appointed  in  his 
stead.  Two  years  and  four  months  later,  November  15,  1909, 
the  building  was  opened  to  the  public. 

The  total  cost  of  the  new  Museum  was  about  $2,900,000. 


442  THE  MUSEUM  AND  ITS  HISTORY 


The  sum  of  $1,200,000  was  expended  for  land  and  improve¬ 
ments,  $1,600,000  for  the  building  itself,  and  $100,000  for 
moving  and  installation.  These  expenditures  have  been  de¬ 
frayed  from  the  proceeds  of  the  sale  of  the  old  building 
($1,750,000),  contributions  from  private  individuals  ($600,000), 
and  appropriations  from  the  Museum  endowment  (about 
$500,000).  The  building  contains  eight  structurally  separate 
departments,  —  Egyptian  Art,  Classical  Art,  Western  (Euro¬ 
pean  and  Mohammedan)  Art,  Chinese  and  Japanese  Art, 
Pictures,  Prints,  Casts,  and  Library,  —  the  main  iloor  being 
chiefly  devoted  to  exhibitions  historically  arranged  and  in¬ 
stalled  to  show  each  object  to  the  best  advantage,  and  the 
ground  floor  to  reserve  collections  accessible  to  all  visitors  and 
to  study  and  administration  rooms;  both  floors  being  abun¬ 
dantly  lighted,  mostly  by  high  windows.  An  area  of  94-, 882 
square  feet  of  floor  space  is  devoted  to  primary  exhibition  pur¬ 
poses  and  82,137  square  feet  to  reserve  collections,  offices, 
workrooms,  etc. 

Plans  for  the  eventual  development  of  the  Fenway  property 

contemplate  buildings  covering  the  entire  site.  These  consist 

of  the  completed  Museum  to  the  east,  a  building 

to  the  northwest  for  casts  from  sculpture,  and  Jhe 

r  C°mpleted 

another  to  the  southwest  for  the  School  of  the  Museum 
Museum,  replacing  the  present  provisional  struc¬ 
ture.  The  gift  from  Mrs.  Robert  Dawson  Evans  in  May,  1911, 
of  that  portion  of  the  Fenway  front  designed  as  a  picture 
gallery  assures  the  completion  of  the  Museum  in  general 
accordance  with  the  original  plans. 

In  the  completed  Museum  the  present  Rotunda  on  the  main 
floor,  reached  by  the  stairway  from  the  entrance,  will  be  about 
equally  distant  from  the  centre  of  the  principal  departments. 
Straight  on  northward  a  gallery  for  tapestries  now  leads  to 
the  Picture  Gallery  lying  east  and  west  on  the  Fenway.  The 
present  galleries  east  and  west  of  the  Rotunda  will  in  future 
give  access  eastward  to  the  wing  on  Huntington  Avenue,  then 
to  be  devoted  entirely  to  Flgyptian  Art,  and  to  a  block  on 
Huntington  entrance  to  be  devoted  to  Classical  Art;  and 


HISTORICAL  DATA 


443 


FO&EGOVRT 


444  THE  museum  and  its  history 


westward  to  the  wing1  on  Huntington  Avenue,  then  devoted 
wholly  to  Chinese  and  Japanese  Art,  and  to  a  new  interior 
block  to  be  devoted  to  Western  Art.  From  the  lobby  of  the 
Picture  Gallery  on  the  Fenway  an  interior  corridor,  continued 
as  an  external  loggia  fronting  northward,  will  lead  east  and 
west  to  galleries  accessible  either  through  existing  Depart¬ 
ments,  and  hence  available  for  their  extension,  or  through 
corridors  only,  and  hence  available  for  new  Departments. 

Four  principles  of  arrangement  determined  the  plan  of  the 
completed  building,  and  have  been  adhered  to  as  far  as  possible 
in  housing  the  collections  and  work  of  the  Museum  in  the 
present  fraction  of  the  whole  design. 

Division  in  Plan.  The  building  is  not  a  single  museum,  but  a 
group  of  several,  each  devoted  to  collections  of  one  origin  or  of 
one  character,  and  each  accessible  without  traversing  any  other. 

Separation  by  Resting  Places.  The  grounds  and  open  courts 
of  the  building,  the  halls  and  loggias  connecting  the  depart¬ 
ments,  offer  opportunities  for  relaxation  and  diversion  among 
surroundings  either  of  natural  beauty  or  of  architectural 
dignity. 

Division  in  Elevation.  Almost  the  entire  main  floor  is  de¬ 
voted  to  exhibition,  while  a  large  part  of  the  ground  floor  is 
devoted  to  rooms  for  study  and  for  objects  arranged  compactly 
for  preservation,  both  study  and  store  rooms  being  open  to  the 
public  upon  application. 

Oblique  Illumination.  Most  of  the  galleries  are  lighted  by 
high  windows  instead  of  from  overhead,  and  the  size  and  ar¬ 
rangement  of  both  windows  and  skylights  throughout  the 
building  are  the  fruit  of  observation  and  experiment  directed 
to  securing  ample  and  well-directed  illumination  in  all  parts  of 
every  room. 

These  four  provisions  aim  to  obviate  recognized  hindrances 
to  the  fullest  effect  of  museum  collections  upon  the  visitor. 
The  separation  of  departments  prevents  confusion  and  distrac¬ 
tion  of  thought;  intermediate  resting  places  forestall  fatigue 
of  body  and  mind;  opportunities  for  instruction  render  the 
exhibits  comprehensible;  well  designed  light  openings  make 
them  visible.  The  plans  permit  of  meeting  a  fifth  hindrance 


445 


HISTORICAL  DATA 


446  THE  MUSEUM  AND  ITS  HISTORY 


to  the  vital  influence  of  museums  —  that  of  their  sameness  of 
attraction  —  by  providing  opportunities  for  the  alternation  of 
exhibits  on  the  two  floors,  and  for  occasions  having  to  do 
with  the  collections  —  conferences,  meetings,  social  gather¬ 
ings,  even  plays  or  concerts  —  in  the  halls  and  gardens  of  the 
building. 

The  Museum  in  its  second  home  promises  the  city  a  new 
agency  of  spiritual  well  being;  not  dedicated  to  discipline  of 
mind  or  direction  of  conscience,  like  a  school  or  a  church,  but, 
like  the  shrine  of  the  Muses  whence  it  takes  its  name,  sacred 
to  the  nurture  of  the  imagination. 


Fenway  Front  of  the  Museum 
Robert  Dawson  Emms  Galleries  for  Paintings 


CHRONOLOGY 


447 


CHRONOLOGY 

The  Museum  Incorporated  February  4,  1870 
DEPARTMENTS 

The  Museum  placed  under  the  general  charge  and  manage¬ 
ment  of  a  Curator  (afterward  Director)  January  21,  1876.  The 
title  of  the  office  changed  to  Director  April  21,  1887,  at  which 
time  the  office  of  Honorary  Curator,  instituted  in  1876,  was 
discontinued  and  the  appointment  of  Curators  with  special  duties 
authorized. 

Library  organized  July  17,  1879. 

Print  Department  established  February  1,  1887. 

Department  of  Classical  Antiquities  established  March  1,  1887. 

Japanese  Department  established  March  15,  1890.  The  title 
changed  to  “Department  of  Chinese  and  Japanese  Art”  April 
28,  1903. 

The  name  of  the  School  of  Drawing  and  Painting  (maintained 
since  January  2,  1877,  in  the  Museum  building)  changed  to 
“School  of  the  Museum  of  Fine  Arts”  October  17,  1901. 

Keepership  of  Paintings  instituted  August  1,  1902. 

Department  of  Egyptian  Art  created  September  15,  1902. 

Honorary  Curatorship  of  Western  Art  (except  paintings  and 
textiles)  created  April  21,  1910. 

Curatorship  of  Painting  created  May  11,  1911. 

Keepership  of  Indian  Art  established  April  26,  1917. 

Honorary  Keepership  of  Coins  instituted  July  17,  1919. 

LAND  AND  BUILDINGS 

Land  on  Copley  Square  given  by  the  City  May  26,  1870. 

West  wing  upon  Copley  Square  opened  to  the  public  July 
4,  1876. 

Completed  front  on  Copley  Square  opened  July  1,  1879. 

Southern  corridor  and  connecting  wings  opened  March  18, 
1890. 

Land  on  the  Fenway  purchased  December,  1899. 

Land  and  buildings  on  Copley  Square  sold  April  22,  1902. 

Ground  broken  for  the  Huntington  Avenue  Building  April  11, 
1907. 

Huntington  Avenue  Building  opened  November  15,  1909. 

Robert  Dawson  Evans  Galleries  for  Paintings  opened  February 
3,  1915. 


448  THE  MUSEUM  AND  ITS  HISTORY 


Location  of  the  Museum  Buildings 


f 


T.  O.  Metcalf  Company,  Boston,  U.  S.  A. 


ADMISSION  TO  THE  MUSEUM 


449 


THE  MUSEUM  FREE  TO  ALL 

January  18,  1918 

In  pursuance  of  a  recommendation  by  the  President  of  the 
Museum  presented  at  the  annual  meeting,  January  17,  1918, 
the  Trustees  voted  that  admission  to  the  Museum  should  be 
free  to  the  public  until  further  notice.  The  vote  ended  a  prac¬ 
tice  followed  since  the  Museum  was  opened  in  1876.  The  gift 
to  the  Museum  from  the  Boston  Water  Power  Company,  acting 
through  theCity,  of  thesiteof  thefirstbuildingon  Copley  Square 
was  conditioned  upon  freeopeningduring  at  least  fourdays  each 
month.  In  compliance  with  thiscondition,  theMuseum  has  been 
openfreeon  Saturdaysfrom  the  beginning,  and  since  1877,  when 
the  building  was  opened  free  on  Sundays  also,  the  condition  has 
been  doubly  met.  The  five  other  weekdays,  excepting  when 
public  holidays,  from  the  first  remained  days  of  paid  admission. 
The  sum  received  from  entrance  fees  on  these  days  continued 
to  be  a  source  of  revenue  too  considerable  to  neglect.  It  has  at 
length  been  dispensed  with  altogether  in  the  confident  expec¬ 
tation  that  the  private  gifts  on  which  the  Museum  exclusively 
depends  will  eventually,  and  perhaps  at  once,  more  than  make 
good  the  losses. 

The  step  is  one  of  far  reaching  significance.  In  abolishing 
admission  fees  the  Museum  announces  onceforall  that,  although 
wholly  supported  by  private  gifts,  its  intents  and  purposes  are 
those  of  a  public  institution. 


ANNUAL  SUBSCRIPTIONS  TO  THE  MUSEUM 

A  subscription  of  $10  or  upwards  entitles  the  subscriber  to 
an  invitation  to  all  general  receptions  and  private  views  held 
at  the  Museum  during  the  current  year,  with  copies  of  the  Annual 
Report  and  of  the  bi-monthly  Bulletin  of  the  Museum;  also, 
upon  application  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Museum,  to  a  copy  of 
the  Handbook  of  the  Museum  in  the  current  edition. 


FORM  OF  BEQUEST 


I  give,  devise,  and  bequet  th  to  the  Museum  of  Fine  Arts  of 

Boston .  (dollars 

or  description  of  property  or  objects  given). 


GROUND  FLOOR 


The  exhibition  galleries  of  the  Print  Department  and  the 
gallery  of  Water  Colors  are  on  the  entrance  floor  on  either  side 
t he  vestibule  of  the  Evans  building.  The  rest  of  the  entrance 
floor  is  occupied  by  secondary  collections  and  offices. 

Not  all  the  contents  of  the  Museum  can  be  shown  at 
once.  Each  department  possesses  a  larger  or  smaller 
reserve  collection  which  may  be  drawn  upon  for  alter¬ 
native  exhibition  in  the  main  galleries.  Persons  especially 
interested  are  welcome  in  the  department  offices  for 
conference  with  the  officers  and  study  of  objects  not 
shown  at  the  time. 

On  the  opposite  plan  the  offices  are  indicated  as  follows: 


Administration . 

A 

Western  Art  . 

.  .  .  .  WA 

Secretary  of  the  Museum, 

S 

Egyptian  Art  . 

....  E 

Prints . 

Pr 

Textile  Study  . 

....  Tx 

Classical  Art . 

Cl 

Paintings  .  .  . 

....  Pa 

Chinese  and  Japanese  Art. 

Superintendent 

of  the 

C&J 

Building  .  . 

....  SB 

Catalogues  and  Photographs . CP 

Office  hours,  1 1  to  12.30  and,  except  on  Saturdays,  2  to  3 
P.  M.  The  Library,  the  Textile  Study,  and  the  offices  of  the 
Department  of  Prints  and  the  Superintendent  of  the  Building 
are  open  during  Museum  hours. 

Apply  at  the  office  of  the  Administration  for  Docent 
appointments. 

The  Lecture  Hall  is  on  the  entrance  floor,  and  is  entered 
from  the  Crypt  beyond  the  main  stairway. 

The  Forecourt  Room  at  the  Huntington  Avenue  entrance, 
reached  through  the  Catalogue  office,  is  occupied  from  time  to 
time  by  Temporary  Exhibitions. 


CRYPT 


Women- 


'»  CASTS  OF 

!GREEK*R?AKM 

=  SCULPTURE 


IFOMOOUI 


ROOM 


ICIASS 


ROME 


GROUND  FLOOR  PLAN 


CASTS  OF 


ITALIAN 


SCULPTURI 


GETTY  CENTER  LIBRARY 


3  3125  00730  4500 


